Freefalling
by Sailor Raspberry
Summary: With friends and parties and wild shenanigans, Serena and the gang stumble through their final year of high school while they search for what's right, and only discover what's completely, totally wrong.
1. Chapter 1

_Wow. I haven't written an actual, full-fledged fic in a long while. But here I am.  
Of course, this is for those who supported my original idea to write an alternate universe about the gang's high school life. You all know who you are._

_I'll say it now, just so I don't have to mention it later. This story is rated T for numerous reasons:  
-Course language  
-Mentions and consumption of drugs and alcohol*  
-Mild sexual scenes  
-General high school drama  
-Religious affiliations_

_*I don't support or approve of the use of illegal drugs or underage drinking, but for the purpose of characters and storylines, an author has to do what an author has to do._

_There is also major out-of-characterness, which can be for the better or for the worse, however you take it. Names have changed, but I think everything should be fairly simple to figure out. Of course, if there is any confusion or questions, let me know and I will do everything I can to clear things up._

_Now, enjoy!_

**-Chapter One-  
**Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.  
_~Confucius_

It was the shrill buzzing of the alarm clock on the far side of the room that jerked her from a deep slumber. A kitten calendar, nailed to the back of her bathroom door, had the first of September circled in red magic marker.

She rolled over to stare out of her balcony window, eyes drooped with the lingering remnants of sleep. The sun had yet to breach the horizon, and a small voice in the back of her mind wondered _why _she was even awake.

The thought was a constant reminder, replaying and playing again, like a broken cassette tape. And then she remembered.

With a defeated sigh, she shimmied out from beneath her blankets. It was the first day of her final high school year; it was also five in the morning, still dark out, and she had bags under her eyes.

The heat that flooded in from her cracked windows, though, suggested that the prime weather of summer was not ready to relent.

From her closet, she withdrew one of her cerulean wrap-around skirts, ruffles freshly pressed, a white blouse- the emblem of senior-hood, for she no longer had to wear the hideous yellow shirts- and a fresh new pair of black loafers. They all ended up on top of her crumpled comforter.

Outside, a bird chirped the world awake.

Before she headed for the staircase, she peaked into her parents' room. Her mother's stomach, rounded with five months of pregnancy, rose and fell steadily. Her father was clattering about in the bathroom.

The nursery across the hall was already crowded with teddy bears and kiddy toys. They were lined up on the shelves of the walls, strategically placed and angled. She stepped into the room only to smooth a ruffle in a baby blanket.

Downstairs, a plate of muffins sat on the kitchen table, fresh from yesterday. Serena crinkled her nose, and instead, pulled open the fridge to retrieve a pudding cup.

"Now, now, Serena," her father, Kenneth, appeared in the living room, a sock flung over his shoulder, belt undone, and shoes held in one hand. "Your mother doesn't like it when you have sugar in the morning." He was working on buttoning his cuffs, hair matted to his forehead.

She snorted and pulled the foil lid back anyway. "She won't even notice." Licking the cover clean, she grabbed a clean spoon from the dishwasher. "Besides, this hardly counts as sugar. In fact," she turned the lid so he could read it, "it's sugar free." She took his hand and dropped it into his palm, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. "Nice try, Daddy."

He lifted an eyebrow, watched her retreat back up the stairs. With a sigh, a small shake of the head, Ken crumbled the lid and tossed it toward the trashcan.

* * *

She sat playing with her hair in front of her vanity, a splendid hand-crafted gift from her grandmother, delicately painted with pastel roses. Her blouse, still unbuttoned, fluttered as a breeze danced in through her balcony window.

Last year, when she was nothing more than a junior, she had always worn her hair up atop her head in an absurdly messy, half done bun. This year, she wanted something different, for her hair had grown a generous foot over the summer, and she was still unwilling to cut it.

With a hard yank, she separated her hair into two separate strands.

Her mother's reflection appeared over her shoulder, one frail hand anchored on her round belly, her smile wide. "Oh, my baby girl is growing up so fast. Where did all the time go?" She wobbled over to retrieve a brush, and carefully, she combed her fingers through the pale strands of her daughter's hair.

Serena picked up a hair tie and handed it to her mother. "Pigtails this year, I think." She decided that it was best not to acknowledge that she was no longer the baby girl her mother so dearly loved, but a _woman_, now.

Ilene nodded, smoothing her own hair away from her face. "Who you got this blonde hair from, girly, I will never know. But your eyes," she smirked, running a hand quickly through Serena's fringed bangs. "All mine."

Serena couldn't help but glance down at the moon of her mother's stomach. "Do you know if the baby's a boy or girl yet?"

At the mention of the child, her eyes softened to a dewy blue, the corners of her mouth smoothed, and for a second, she looked ten years younger. "No, not yet. We want to be surprised." She paused, thinking back to many, many years before. "You know, we thought you were supposed to be a boy."

Which would explain all the dinosaurs and Tonka Truck t-shirts she had when she was little. "Yeah. Thank the Lord I wasn't." She shuddered, appeasing her. "What would I do then?"

Behind her, Ilene finished off the second pigtail and moved to the drawers of her vanity, searching for some nonsensical thing. "Absolutely nothing. You wouldn't notice the difference."

Serena sighed, leaning forward to dig through her cosmetics bag. She was right.

Ilene tied two white ribbons overtop the hair bands. When she looked up into the mirror, her brows furrowed together. "When did you start wearing makeup?"

She picked up her eye shadow and applied the nude crème and thought for a moment, considering the question. "I'm not sure." She looked to the floor to sweep the stick across her right lid, with a steady hand, which she was quite proud of, for it had taken her weeks of practice to finally get the skill down. Then, she moved to the mascara. "Not that long ago." Ilene nodded slowly, and on the nightstand, the alarm clock began to trill again. Serena capped her lip gloss, smacked her lips together, and tossed the makeup into her cosmetics bag. "Well."

Her mother bent down to kiss her daughter's forehead, lips pulled into a small smile. "Ready for you first final day of school?"

Serena laughed, hurrying to pull her white knee-highs on. "Is it June yet?" The sun flooded the room with rays of pink and orange, and as she hefted her backpack over her shoulder, she beamed. "See you downstairs, alright? I still have to call Mina and wake her up." She hooked her purse into the crook of her elbow before she silently slipped past her mother.

* * *

She pulled into the parking lot, windows rolled down and voice loud as she sang along with the radio. A pack of gummy bears sat in her lap, and as she tapped her fingers along the steering wheel, she took a handful and jammed them into the cave of her cheek.

A wide-eyed pack of freshmen that had just descended from their bus scurried past her, terrified.

"Serena Tayse? Is that you?" The excited shout came from across the lot, and as she swallowed the wad of gummies, she turned to watch someone jump out of a still-moving red Mustang. "Holy crap it is! When did you get so sexy?"

Serena's face split into a smile as she fumbled with her seatbelt. She was barely out of the car before two tan arms pulled her into a crushing hug.

"Mina Anderson," Serena hugged her back with as much vivaciousness. She pulled away, and the sun reflected in the pupils of Mina's blue eyes. "Gummy bear?" She reached back into her car to withdraw the package.

"Oh, gosh yes." She took the bag and shoveled a few onto her tongue. She chomped down a few times before her mouth widened into a smile. "I missed you so much!" Red and green goo spurted all over the place. "You have to tell me all about your summer!"

Serena couldn't help her fluttering frown. "My summer? Please, you went to _Europe_. You have to tell me all about it." Her enthusiasm was flat, but Mina didn't seem to notice.

She popped another bear into her mouth, skin golden in the afternoon sun. "I will, but after we get all settled and whatever. Besides, I think Jake jacked my iPod."

Serena pulled open the back door of her car to pull out a tote bag. Mina stuffed the bears into her pocket to heft it up. "Geez. What is all this junk?"

"Not junk," Serena corrected. "They're like pamphlets. Sister Laurel and my mom were talking, and my mom said she'd get all of these random packets for her."

"Junk," Mina bumped the door close with her hip. "But anyway," she fell into step beside her. "We've got many, many stories to share."

Their shoulders touched as they crossed over the parking lot, voices rising and falling with the excitement of reunion.

* * *

The foyer entrance was crowded with a staggering amount of lost new students, and in the middle of the chaos was the front desk, occupied by a middle-aged woman with rhinestone glasses, typing away on her computer.

Mina led the voyage, elbowing past the huddled sea of students, shouting over the excited chatter. "Move, people! Seniors coming through!" She said it repeatedly, loud and demanding, until everyone got the hint and moved without her say-so.

"Well, well, look who grew an inch over the summer." From her left, Jake sauntered over, threw an arm over her shoulder, and tugged her against him. "Looking good."

Two wide-eyed freshmen stared at him, and with a withering smirk, he winked in their general direction.

Serena lifted an eyebrow at him. "Why did you do that?"

"Oh hush, young one," Jake turned to offer her a smug smile. "Just being kind to the fresh meat, is all." He released her and shoved an iPod into his sister's hands. "It's dead."

"Fabulous, really. I'm pretty sure I told you not to use it, anyway."

"Whatever, Mina. Stop nagging." He turned back to Serena. "How was your summer?"

The secretary's desk finally appeared before her, and she passed the tote over the counter. "We went to Disney World again."

The corner of Mina's mouth lifted.

The three of them turned and began heading toward the neighboring courtyard. "I had to get another picture with Prince Charming. Honestly, I don't know what kind of fantasy my parents are trying to create."

Mina threw a glance at Jake. "Maybe it's a sign," her big, cerulean eyes widened into two identical rings as they passed through the open doors and into the Quad. "You know, _Prince Charming_..."

Serena's face bloomed red. "Stop."

"...Charming's tall, got a nice butt... He even has black hair, too."

Her cheeks burned. "Really, Mina, I should have never said anything."

"Well," her voice was indignant, "it's hardly my fault that you told me _freshman _year, and you're still rocking the single boat."

Serena lifted an eyebrow. "And you're not single?"

"I'm not single." She examined her manicured fingernails. "I'm exclusively dating."

"Meaning," Jake interjected, "her and Kennedy hooked up before we took off for Europe."

Serena's eyebrows shot up.

Mina turned and punched him hard in the arm. "You keep your big mouth shut." Then, turning to Serena, she batted her eyelashes. "I didn't have sex."

"Alright, so what did you have?"

"Anyway," she took a step forward, a stride ahead of them. The silver cross hanging around her neck caught the sun and cast a glow across her blouse. "Did you know you're allowed to drink beer in Germany when you're only sixteen?" Her smile was wide. "And, get this, I kissed the Blimey Stone. Just wait until Sister Margaret hears!"

Jake rolled his eyes.

"Oh, and Jakey here got wasted in London one night and ran through the town butt-naked."

Serena's jaw dropped. "Did you, now?"

He shot his sister a wicked look and hoped they didn't notice his reddening face. "It wasn't through all of London," he jangled his car keys to distract himself. "It was only through a park or something. Nobody was out, either. It was one in the morning."

Serena looked over to Mina. "You got pictures, right?"

"What kind of twin sister would I be if I didn't?" Her smile was deliberate. "Internet, anyone?"

They exchanged high fives and laughed at him.

After a moment passed, Serena sighed. "You guys are so lucky. Your parents send you all over the world. It must be exciting.

Mina snorted. "Please, you mean they _get rid of us _all over the world. They think just because our grandparents live in Ireland or Scotland or whatever, they can just dump us on a plane and kiss our heads sayonara." She cast an accommodating glance over to her twin. "I think next year is Australia, actually. Right, Jake?"

"Correct." He touched Serena's shoulder as he spotted someone across the yard. "I'll catch up with you later, alright?" He broke off, jogging across the grass and toward someone waiting in the arch of the breezeway.

* * *

She had stupidly forgotten her backpack in the trunk of her car, so she was forced to trek back to the senior lot by herself, for Mina had insisted that she hunt down her friends from the cheerleading squad.

When she got to her space, she stopped and gaped at the man leaning against her car. "Kennedy... what are you doing?"

Her cousin let his eyes flicker in her direction. "I had I feeling you would come back, so I decided to wait around for a couple of minutes." He sat forward and dusted off his hands. "Guess I was right."

"Alright then." She unlocked the trunk. Across the parking lot, Sister Laurel, Dean of Discipline, hounded a group of juniors who thought it would be funny to dye their hair the colors of the rainbow.

Kennedy scratched at his neck, just below the ponytail, and smiled. Every summer, he let his hair grow out, kept it neatly tied back, and dared the nuns to order him to cut it. But, when one of them did, he came back dutifully with it all chopped off.

"So," he fell back against the car. "I hope you're still intact after the long, gruesome summer."

She lifted an arm to examine it before lugging out her bag. "I think I'm good. And you? Any bumps and bruises?"

"A few bumps." His mouth curled into a grin. "But no bruises. Yet."

Serena snorted as he pushed away to straighten to his full height. "I've heard some stories about you, mister," she said as she fell into step beside him. "Would you care to explain?"

She stumbled over a loose rock and dropped her bag on his foot.

He jerked away with a wince. "Correction," he mumbled as he picked the backpack up for her. "One bruise."

She feigned a smile and took it from him. "Sorry."

* * *

Father Paul, an old withering man with a bushy white mustache, welcomed her into his office, feet encased in brown leather moccasins and propped on his mahogany desk. "Ms. Tayse, welcome back." His eyes were warm, and he motioned for her to take a seat. "The summer faired you well?"

"Oh, yes," she smoothed her hands over her skirt, smiling. "It was splendid. And you?"

He lifted his shoulder. "I went to the beach to work on my tan, but other than that, most of my time was spent here." He sighed. "Did you see the new tables in the cafeteria? They're round now, which I think it better."

Serena chuckled. "No, I haven't. But I'll make it a point to check them out."

Father Paul nodded, laced his fingers over his pudgy stomach. "I hope you've worked on your welcome back speech. As president, you're expected to be completely reliable when it comes to this stuff."

She smiled at him. "Oh no, you know I don't work like that. I say whatever comes to my head." Then, to appease his anxious expression- which she had seen only once before, when last year's seniors threatened to burn a bible- she tapped her temple. "I did it last year, and I won the election, didn't I?"

His thick white eyebrows relaxed. "Alright, I trust you. You can get ready for first announcements, I suppose. My receptionist should have your notes prepared." As she stood, his feet plopped onto the wooden floors. "And Ms. Tayse?"

She stopped, hand on the doorknob, to look back at him.

"Let's make this a good year with my seniors, okay?"

Her eyes crinkled when she grinned. "I couldn't agree more."

* * *

"_Hello_ beautiful." Zane, curls golden in the sunlight filtering in through the windows, beamed a smile at her. "Did you miss me?"

"Not enough," she stopped beside him, elbow propped on the receptionist's desk. "Keeping yourself out of trouble?"

"Ah, I got arrested once, but it was a total hoax. The 'rents were trying to teach me a lesson or something." His eyes, two gleaming emeralds, held an air of mischief. "They thought I was smoking dope."

Serena sighed. Zane was a goof. She knew it, everyone knew it. And he was usually up to no good. She had known him since grammar school; she had been the core to many of his pranks. The dead spider in her pencil case, the Whoopi cushion, and, her personal favorite, the 'Kiss Me' sign tapped to her back.

She had nightmares for a week.

But, what really put the icing on the cake was, now, he was the vice-president to her presidency, and she would be spending an excess amount of time in his lovely presence.

"Okay," Mrs. Stanley appeared behind them, coffee mug that read _#1 Secretary _in her grasp. "Who'd like to sound the first bell of the year?"

Zane elbowed Serena out of his way as he walked behind her desk. "I would, thank you." He plopped down into her swivel chair. "Which button is it?"

Mrs. Stanley placed her cup onto a coaster. "The green one, next to the outlet. Push it once, please."

Zane jammed his thumb into it three times.

"Thank you so much for that, Mr. Graham," Mrs. Stanley barked over the trilling bell. "Now, if you would kindly move," she reached over him to grab the telephone. "Hello, and welcome to the 2010 school year. I am Mrs. Stanley, the Dean's receptionist. We welcome you all back with the hopes of a splendid year. So, please, kindly report all problems to me. I will do my best to handle them appropriately and efficiently." She paused and pulled open a drawer to retrieve some note cards. "Before we let Father Paul speak, we're going to start off this year with announcements from your student body president."

"Ahem."

"And vice president."

She handed Serena the receiver and a stack of cards. "Go ahead."

Serena cleared her throat. "Hello, AHA, I'm Serena Tayse, your president. Firstly, I'd like to welcome you all back. Let's make it a good year."

Zane poked his finger in his mouth and gagged.

She shot him a glare. "There will be a meeting tomorrow at lunch for all girl soccer players. Coach Warren asks that you bring your physical forms and cleats for inspection. Thanks." She fumbled with the notes, and they scattered across the desk. "Oh, no. Sorry, guys. Just hold on a..." She picked a card at random, cheeks red. "If someone has complaints about the new locker arrangements, kindly report your issues to Father Paul. If you do not have a legitimate reason, he does not want to see you within one hundred feet of his office. "

Zane snorted. "I've got my locker next to Skanky Sally. Get what I mean, Mrs. Stanley?" He outlined Sally's curved in the air and waggled his eyebrows. "No complaints from me."

Mrs. Stanley took the receiver. "Alright, that's been painful enough. I'll just let Father finish them up." She collected the strewn cards. "You can report back to your homerooms now."

* * *

The far corner of the classroom was disturbingly secluded, stuck right beneath the air vent, leaving her shivering and confused as she stared at her schedule. She had hinted strongly to Father Paul about what classes she wanted. The outcome wasn't as satisfactory as she hoped.

A finger tapped her shoulder twice, right on the sharp point of the blade. "You can borrow my blazer if you're really that cold."

She twisted around, eyebrows lifted as she processed the voice. "What?"

Darien's mouth quirked as he leaned toward her. "I just noticed you looked a little cold. And you have goosebumps on the back of her neck." He motioned to her face. "So, do you want to borrow it?"

"Uh... No. No thank you." She folded her schedule and smiled. "I'll just remember to bring my sweater tomorrow."

His nose crinkled. "The sweater? Those things are hideous." He shrugged, pupils dilated as he examined her. "You're wearing makeup."

She frowned, drawing away as her cheeks began to burn again. "Oh, yeah," she smoothed a pigtail. "I was trying something new, I guess," she said, averting her gaze. She could still feel his eyes hooked onto her.

Over the loudspeaker, the bell rang.

Darien's smirk was the same teasing tilting of lips she had grown so accustomed to. The expression hadn't changed a bit, since that moment they collided in the middle of a hallway, freshman year. "I like it," he said, and she made to stand, but he held out his hand. "Schedule, please."

She feigned a grin and handed it to him, sliding back down. Instead, he stood, depositing his backpack on his chair. Long, thin fingers unfolded the paper. "Hm." He pursed his lips. "Well, it looks like we have a few classes together. Home economics, gym, and chemistry."

Serena accepted her schedule back, standing and cradling her books in the crook of her arm. "Well, then I guess I'll see you."

He nodded, one corner of his mouth lifting. "Until then." And he left her standing there, smiling after him.

* * *

A spitball nailed her in the back of her head.

There was a bout of laughter from behind her, and she shifted around a bit, grip tight on her pencil.

"Just ignore them," Lita prompted, chewing a piece of her hair. "They'll back off."

First period independent study was always, always the worst.

Especially when the teacher was late.

"Do they ever grow up?"

"Nope," she doodled a cupcake on the corner of her paper. "Hey, do you think Father Paul'll let me open up the greenhouse a month early?"

Serena dropped her pencil to drag her laptop closer. "I don't know."

"Probably not." She let her gaze slide out the window, where a gym class was busy with a game of soccer.

A paper football skid across the desktop before it settled next to her hand. In scribbled handwriting, it said _read me._

She sighed, picked up her pencil to scoot it away from her. "Nice try," she twisted around in her chair to face the two boys with their own desks pressed up against each others. "I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice. _Zane_."

"Alright, class," the door opened and in walked their teacher. Ten minutes fashionably late. "Turn around, be quiet. Get to work."

Serena shot a glare at them before turning back forward.

"Did you notice Nathan's hair?" Lita whispered from the corner of her mouth.

"What?" Serena brought up her Internet browser before twisting around to glance at Nathan, where he sat beside Zane. "What about it?"

"He _cut _it."

"Yeah? And?"

She chewed on her eraser. "It looks weird."

"Ms. Kane. Ms. Tayse. Work."

"Sorry."

* * *

Serena, with her lunch tray in tow, strolled past the cafeteria tables and toward the exit. Outside, in the courtyard, Mina waved to her, half a cookie hanging from her mouth. Beside her, Raye, and across from Raye, Lita.

"A vending machine had this really weird pastry or something. I saved you half of it," Mina patted the grass beside her and immediately swiped some of Serena's fries. "It's pretty good."

"Any food is good." She bit into her meatball sandwich. "Why are you here?" She jutted her chin out toward Raye.

She forced a tight smile, eyes dark beneath the sun. "Mina invited me."

Mina smirked. "I don't like feuds. Unless, of course, I'm a part of it. You two should grow up."

Lita nodded, rolling onto her stomach as she spit out a cherry pit.

"She dumped Kool-Aid on me. I smelled like artificial grapes for a month, and I was never able to save that uniform."

Raye's mouth twisted into a sinful grin. "Sophomore year was my best year, definitely."

Serena wiped some dribbling sauce from her chin with the back of her hand. "I hate you."

"Ah, the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Mina wrapped her arms around their necks and tugged them in sharply. Their foreheads bonked together. "Now, what you're going to do is exchange the best thing you have on your trays as a sign of peace."

Raye's brow lifted. "That's idiotic."

"No. It's called _peace_. Embrace it." She released them and pulled her opposite ankles over knees. "Serena, would you like to start?"

She looked over to Lita for help. She was too bust dunking sushi in soy sauce. "Oh, alright," she huffed, examining her tray. She had a fruit parfait, a bitten meatball sandwich, and a brownie.

Maybe the parfait.

"Here," she dropped the brownie onto a napkin and handed to her. "I don't hate you anymore."

Raye took it and handed her a bag of ladyfingers. "And I guess I'm sorry for the whole Kool-Aid skit." She shrugged. "So. Yeah."

Mina pulled the wrapper off a lollypop and put it in her mouth. "That's what I like to here."

"Okay, okay, Ken," Jake spoke through a mouthful of meatball and dropped his fork. "The moment you knew you just had to tap it."

Kennedy smirked. "I'd tell you, but you'd probably move me up on your hit list."

Zane snorted and pinched his nose to keep from spewing Gatorade. "Dude, you know you couldn't tap her even if she was dozed up on booze and the best narcotics around."

He ignored the jab and bit into a celery stick. "Nathan, the moment you knew you had to kiss and ditch."

"As in... a date gone wrong?" He thought about it. "Freshman year, took Molly Baker to a Pizza Hut or something. She wouldn't shut the hell up and I told her I had to go to the bathroom. Never came back." He laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back, smiling. "I remember slipping her a twenty before, though, so she wouldn't have to pay. Still gives me glares every time she sees me."

The sun beamed off Kennedy's water bottle as he lifted it. "True badassery, I must say."

"Why, thank you." They knocked their drinks together. "Alright, Darien, tell us, when was the moment you knew... Hey. Are you paying attention?"

"Hm."

Nathan's brow furrowed. "Earth to Darien." He waved his hand in front of his face. When he received no response, he turned back to the table. "Houston, we have a problem."

"Let me see." Jake stood and leaned over the table. He honed his eyes and traced Darien's gaze to the group of girls huddled beneath a tree. His lips slowly curled into a smile. "Darien, Zane is running around naked again. We need you to catch him."

"Hm."

"Zane is also unmistakably gay and has been pining after you for three years. He wants you to perform explicit acts that involve many- Where are you going?"

Darien's eyes snapped back to them. "What? Oh. I'm just going... I'll talk to you later."

Kennedy watched with a tight mouth as Darien lifted his books and headed toward the entrance.

* * *

Serena was surprised to see Darien appear beside her. So shocked in fact, that she nearly stumbled and had to catch herself against the wall. "What are you doing?"

He shook his head, innocent, and buried his hands into his pockets. His head nodded to the books on her arm. "You're going to chemistry now, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah," she played with the hem of her skirt as they crossed through the Quad and toward the school.

"So am I," he reached over to grip her stack of books. "Do you mind?"

She nodded her head, watching as he shoveled her things atop of his. "I can carry my own books."

His shrugged. "I don't doubt that you can. Just being a gentleman, is all."

Serena entwined her fingers in front of her stomach. "I... Whatever," she muttered, lowering her eyes to the floor.

Darien pulled open the door to the building. "I know you can, in fact," was his simple reply. "But that shouldn't stop me from being a gentleman."

She paused, just outside the doorway, but he continued to hold it open for her. Their eyes caught, held, and her neck reddened. "How very chivalrous of you."

His lips twitched until he was almost smiling. "All I need now is my white stallion."

Serena breath snagged, heart skipped a bit. But she hurried past him, head dipped to hide her embarrassment.

Prince Charming, indeed.

* * *

The chemistry laboratory was large, sectioned in two separate rows, each rectangular table occupied by two stools. White lab coats lined the far wall, a cabinet full of designated goggles right beside it. Beakers and microscopes, rubber gloves and cotton swabs, so many supplies all organized into a carefully planned system.

At the front of the room, angled in the farthest corner, was a metal desk, currently occupied by a head of pale hair. Serena, stopping alongside Darien in the doorway, knocked on the doorframe.

The man glanced up at them over the rim of his glasses. "Hello."

Serena smiled. "Hi." Looking around, she asked, "This is Chemistry-IV, right?"

He stood, slapping closed his agenda. "Yes, yes, come in." This man, eyes a milky blue, motioned at them. Serena entered first, then Darien. "I'm Mr. Devine. I'm filling in for Sister Margaret this year."

They both nodded, shifting awkwardly on their feet.

Mr. Devine scratched the back of his neck. "You can sit anywhere. I haven't assigned lab partners."

Darien looked at Serena. Serena looked at Darien.

"Do you... want to be my partner?"

Serena slowly blushed. "Alright."

Mr. Devine smiled at her as she strolled past. Watched her as she choose a table in the third row. "So," he wiped his hands on the leg of his trousers.

Serena decided to give him some mercy. "Are you new? You seem awfully young."

His eyes caught hers for a moment before they quickly looked away. "Oh yes. I just graduated from Johns Hopkins last year."

Beside her, Darien slid her books in front of her. "What was your field?" he asked, unbuttoning his cuffs to roll up his shirtsleeves. Serena glanced at him.

Mr. Devine patted his pockets, as if he was searching for something. "I, ah, majored in Earth and Planetary Sciences, minored in Chemical Engineering."

"Very interesting," Serena played with a ponytail. This man was terribly fidgety. "Are you nervous? I mean, being a new teacher and all must be stressful."

From the intercom, the bell rang, and Mr. Devine's gaze floated to the clock. "Well, back into teacher-mode, I guess." He offered her a smile, and when she returned it, his eyes danced away.

The classroom suddenly began to fill with ruffling skirts, flapping ties, chatting and the eager smiles of students. In front of them, a girl plopped onto a stool. Her blouse rode up her backside.

"Hey, Darien," her lips, painted pink, separated into a pleased smile.

He nodded in her direction. "Adrianna. How was your summer?"

"Oh, just fabulous." She waved her hand around, and her bracelets chimed together. "Wonderful." Her gaze slid over to Serena for a fraction of a second.

His grin was closed, eyes not as blue as they usually were. "That's great."

She giggled- she was so eager to please- and turned back around, resting her chin against the heel of her palm.

The second bell gonged over the speakers, and Mr. Devine dutifully took his place at the front of the classroom.

Behind her, Zane and Nathan flicked paper footballs at each other. Mr. Devine cleared his throat.

Everyone ceased their chattering, as if they had just noticed his existence, and turned their wide eyes to stare at him.

Now, however, he did not appear to be nervous. In fact, he seemed confident, with his shoulders squared and jaw set. Serena found it to be the most peculiar thing.

"I'm sure you're all wondering where Sister Margaret is..."

"Old hag," Zane muttered under his breath. Serena could not control her smile.

"...Well, she is currently vacationing in the Barbados. So, you're stuck with me until she decides to come home. Now, we're going to start with role call."

To her left, Darien shifted in his seat. When she glanced at him, his smile dimpled.

"Adrianna Ardire? Gregory Bonner? Nathan Downen...Zane Graham..."

"Present." Zane shoved his hand into the hair, and Nathan shook his head and nudged him away.

He jabbered off more names.

"Darien Shields."

He lifted a hand in the air.

"Serena Tayse."

"Here," she raised a hesitant hand. He looked at her, a second longer than she was comfortable with.

He closed his attendance book. "Alright. I'm Mr. Devine." He turned to the white board behind him to scrawl out his name. "You are my class. I am your teacher. Remember that. Chemistry-IV will not be a walk in the park. In fact, it will be hard." He knotted his arms behind his back. "Some rules. All clothing must be contained. No bracelets should be worn. No chewing gum." He stopped in front of Arianna, lifting the garbage bin to her face.

She poked her tongue out, watching as the spearmint fell into the bag.

"You are required to cover your textbook, you must have two notebooks. One for labs, one for class notes..." He stopped beside Serena. "And I ask that all hair be held away from your face," he lifted up one of her ponytails, "for we will be in the laboratory daily."

His eyes were playful, but her cheeks burned anyway.

Finally, after he released her hair and continued his orbit around the classroom, Darien leaned so close to her, his body heat permeated against her. "I think your pigtails are cute," he murmured, and lifted a hand to tug on one.

* * *

With twenty minutes left in eighth period, Father Paul called all students and staff down to the auditorium. The student council, however, had to meet at the stage entrance. Serena weaved her way through the flowing body of students and toward Sister Laurel, where she stood next to a heavy oak door.

Zane, because he had last period literature with her, looped his arm through her own. "Mr. President, what are your views on the economy?"

"Shut up," she tried to pull her arm away, but he only tugged her closer, smiling that goofy smile of his.

"What about male prostitution? Because personally, I believe that our government system shouldn't reflect such random acts of-"

She shoved him away sharply and stopped beside the treasurer, Leslie.

The student council consisted of ten students, the president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, charity conveners, parent council representatives, and the fundraising team. Father Paul and Sister Laurel stood waiting for them.

"Is everyone here?" Father Paul counted, and then recounted, the heads. "Alright. We've got over a thousand students waiting in there. Don't back down, don't give in, and do not let the sophomores scare you."

Serena disentangled herself from Zane as he pursued her again. "They're not a rabid pit of dogs, Father."

His eyebrows met at the center of his forehead. "That's what they want you want to think."

Sister Laurel reached into her tote bag to withdraw the nameplate pins. As she handed them out, she brushed lint from one of the fundraiser's sweater. "Proper etiquette, now. Don't slouch in your chairs."

Father Paul pulled open the auditorium doors and the loud, obnoxious talking of bored students flooded into the empty hallway. He smoothed down his cassock before strolling out onto the stage. The front row of the raised auditorium was filled with the teachers, and behind them, the seniors. The rest of the students occupied whatever chair was free.

As he led them in an opening prayer, Serena peaked into the crowd. Behind the teachers, in the fifth row, Mina, Raye, and Lita sat. Behind them, Jake, Nathan, Kennedy, and Darien. Her lips quirked as Kennedy bent over the chair in front of him to whisper something in Mina's ear.

No matter how many times they've raved and ranted about how annoying and immature those boys were, they could never seem to get enough of them.

"And to end the first day of a new year," continued Father Paul, glancing over in her direction, "let us all welcome the 2010 student council."

Serena stepped aside to let everyone pass by her, and as the applause, which was more polite than anything else, reached her ears, she found that she was smiling.

Sister Laurel gave her a gentle push, urging her out into the spotlight. Serena, with a large exhalation of breath, strolled to the podium to take the microphone from Father Paul. As she lifted it to her mouth, she looked into the crowd again. But, this time, she didn't see only her friends. She saw the bright, new faces of freshman, the keen, calculating faces of the sophomores, the almost-there gazes of juniors. And then there were the seniors. She didn't know how to classify their expressions.

"Welcome back, Holy Angels," she started, and looked over each row. Her voice resonated back to her ears, and it had a dizzying, outlandish effect. "I'm Serena, for those new faces out there," she pointed to a group of unfamiliar students, watching with a teasing smirk as they sank into their chairs. "Let's not worry about that, right now, though." She cleared her throat and took a few steps to loosen herself up.

"Academy of Holy Angels is not a joke," she shoved a pigtail behind her shoulder. "You don't walk in here in a uniform and expect to walk out a masterpiece. You have to earn it. You have to work for it. Trust me, I would know." She lifted an eyebrow. "It might make you feel superior now that you're a sophomore, or a junior, or a senior." She let her gaze slide over to Zane. The teachers couldn't hide their laughter. He stood and bowed.

After she waved his nonsense away, she smoothed her free hand over her blouse. "There's only a hundred and eighty days left to this school year, ladies and gents. That's it. You only get to be here, in this spot, once, so let's make it the best. Father Paul bought us new lunch tables, for crying out loud."

The auditorium decided it was a good time to applaud.

"We've got new teachers, too." Mr. Devine let his eyes follow her as she moved across the stage. "This school year is a new start, guys. A brand new beginning."

Her eyes twinkled brilliantly underneath the spotlights, and she glanced at the clock to her left. "Hey, seniors. In about ten minutes, there's only going to be a hundred and seventy nine more days until we're out of here. Let's live those days like there's none left, okay?" She switched the microphone to her other hand. "Academy of Holy Angels, let's make this school year something we'll reminisce about at our fiftieth reunion."

From the back of the auditorium someone hooted, and that provoked a raunchy round of applause and laughter. Serena took it in, relished it, loved it and felt a smile crack across her face. Father Paul rejoined her up on the stage, patting her on the back and reaching for the microphone. "Alright, give it up for your student body president, Serena Tayse!"

Mina stood and jumped about. "That is my best friend, people!"

Serena, with a sigh and a rueful shake of the head, took her rightful place beside Zane.

"Sit down now, please, Ms. Anderson."

"Sorry, sorry," Mina plopped back into her chair and motioned her drivel aside. "Do continue, Father."

He nodded at her, mirthful. "Thank you." He moved back to the podium. "Before we head out of here," he eyed the students, "let us pray."

Father Paul blessed himself, and as everybody else followed, Serena stared ahead.

Beside her, Zane did not speak, but merely laced his fingers in his lap, eyes blankly hooked to a spot on the far wall.

Voices melded together, and it was an odd sensation; everyone talking as one. Their monotonous tone poured out from the core of the room. "...And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Serena glanced around, looked out into the crowd. Darien was gazing at her.

He didn't look away when their eyes connected. "Amen."

* * *

_Thanks a bunch for reading! Leave a review and let me know what you think, and definitely keep an eye out for chapter two, which should be out within the next few weeks._

**-Chapter Two-  
_Preview_**

"Wake up!" The mattress jerked wildly, repeatedly, and she floundered about like a beached catfish.

A pillow smacked her in the face, and then again, until a body fell on top of her.

"Hello, anyone in there?"

Serena groaned as the mattress began to shake again. "What time is it?" She rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands. "And what the heck do you want?"

A hand gripped the corners of her mouth and squeezed. "It's like four-thirty and I'm here to sweep you away to Candy Land where we can frolic in our tutus and shove lollypops down our throats."

"Zane?" She peeled open her eyes and stared into his smirking face.

"Right-o." He sat back, still on top of her, and pulled out his phone. "I've got plans for us tonight. Let's go. I already called everybody and this shit is about to go down. "

She pushed him off. "How did you get in here?"

He looked around her parent's room, and then back down at her. "Well, I rang the doorbell, your mom answered, I complimented her, and then she told me you were in here." He turned his phone around and mashed his mouth against her cheek. Serena made a face and tried to pull away.

The phone clicked as it captured the photo and Zane let her look at it. "This is a keeper." He pulled her from the bed. "Go get changed. Something comfy. But still look like your sexy little self." He followed her down the hall, into her bedroom, then to her closet. "I called Mina like two seconds after you, and she told me you were being a little puss. Apparently you don't think we're best friends?"

"Apparently whatever I say gets broadcasted across the face of the universe for everyone to know."

"Of course it does." He leaned against her dresser and watched her head toward her bathroom. She locked the door behind her, so he walked over to stand in front of it. "You're life is just so interesting, we can't help ourselves." The water ran, and he crossed his arms.

She pulled open the door, toothbrush dangling from her mouth. "Where are we going anyway?"

He lifted a blonde eyebrow. "That's a surprise."

She paused, turned to stare at him. Toothpaste dribbled down her chin. He laughed. "Hurry up, will you? The faster we get there, the better."


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much to Light'by'day, James Birdsong (anon.), jessicam242, and stephumz for the absolutely wonderful reviews you've left! And to all those who have read so far! Please don't ever hesitate to let me know what you think! Your speculations and comments make my day!_

**-Chapter Two-  
**Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.  
_~Harold R McAlindon_

"Thanks for picking me up." Mina smoothed her hands over her hair. "I'd drive myself, but, you know."

Serena nodded, pulling her backpack onto her lap. The parking lot hummed and buzzed with the steady drone of students. "I won't even make you pay for gas."

"Oh, thank you." Mina pulled down the visor to look into the mirror. "My parents said they got Jake a car because he was born five minutes before me. Whatever." She fiddled with the radio knobs while she dabbed at her lip gloss with a single finger. "But he likes to pick Raye up in the morning, and she is _not _a morning person."She shuddered. "Not fun share a car with her."

She smirked as she stuffed her keys into her purse and unbuckled her seatbelt.

The engine of a motorcycle split through their brief moment of silence, crimson red and glittering in the early morning light. It turned into the empty space beside her.

Serena turned away from her window. "My parents said they only got me a car so they wouldn't-"

The purr of the engine cut off her words.

Serena frowned. "...So they wouldn't have to-" The engine revved again, and she snapped her jaw closed. After a minute of quiet, she tried again. "Have to lug me around and-"

Mina slapped a hand over her mouth to hold back a bark of laughter as the engine gave a healthy rev. Serena moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, handing off her school bag to Mina as she twisted around.

Darien stood there, one arm against the roof of her car, a smile riding his lips.

She blinked, moving one hand to roll down the window. "You ride a motorcycle?"

He laughed, a rich, deep, pure sound, and bent back to place his helmet on the bike's seat. A light breeze played with his bangs. "Yeah. Are you surprised?"

Mina, with a sly smirk on her own face, pushed open the door.

"Well, yeah. I imagined you as more of a... sports care type... guy. I guess."

Mina closed to door with an almost silent click, stepping away and waving wildly to the boy opposite her. Darien's eyes flickered over to her for barely a second before he refocused back on Serena. "Then I guess I'm just full of surprises."

Even from twenty feet away, Mina could see Serena's blush.

Darien straightened to his full height, a towering six foot two inches, backing up a step to let her out. "You're not full of surprises," she recounted easily, reaching back into the car for her bag. "Mina, you-" She paused and stared at the empty seat. "Where did Mina go?"

"Oh, she left about two minutes ago."

Serena turned back to face Darien, and as she stared up into his face, she realized her mere five foot three was immensely short when compared to him.

She watched him shrug out of his leather jacket, peel off his gloves, run a hand deftly through his hair. To get away from the distraction that was so easily _him_, she turned back to her own car, fumbling with her keys. She locked it, locked it again, unlocked it. Darien was standing next to her, watching her play with the two buttons.

She finally decided that she would like her car locked, convinced with the uncomplicated thought that she probably looked like such a dork standing there. Embarrassed, she let her eyes wander. A few parking rows over, Raye was resting back against a red Mustang, one of Jake's palms pressed against the metal beside her neck. She looked undoubtedly upset.

Serena lifted an eyebrow.

The two of them fell into step as they made their way toward the school. Darien led her through an archway that opened into a quad, full with pallid stone tables, a dribbling water fountain, and a towering weeping willow. It was a strange set up, really, for a private school. A simple garden would have been pleasant enough, though.

Oh, but there was a butterfly garden. She had forgotten about that.

"You got rid of your pigtails."

Serena, startled by the sudden observation, lifted her hand immediately to touch the thick braid resting against her back. "I did." She chewed the inside of her cheek. "Mr. Devine said I needed it away from my face. So, I thought a braid..." She trailed off, decided that it was better not to let him know that the only reason she ditched the pigtails was because _he_ liked them.

They both walked in silence, ears greeted with the fall of their shoes on concrete.

As they approached a set of doors, Darien pulled one open and watched her walk beneath his arm. The air was cool inside the school, and it tickled her skin. "The braid is nice, too, I suppose."

The corners of her mouth lifted into a small grin. Their shoulders bumped as they shifted to let a group of students pass. He smelled of a wild motorcycle ride and fresh, open air. She angled her head to the side, trying to place her finger on the scent, and she came to the conclusion that the wind favored him.

Darien touched her elbow, a silent goodbye, and he turned left, leaving her in the throng of students. She found herself looking back at him, watching him move, and Mina was right.

He did have a very nice butt.

She let her head swing back around.

The curious face of Nathan greeted her. "You're blushing again."

Serena touched her cheeks. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

His eyes were teasing. "We all know you like him."

She clenched her jaw, stopping at her locker. He pulled up to his, right beside her own, and dialed in his combination. "We all know you're nosy," Serena responded coolly, removing a stack of pictures from a sandwich baggy.

He opened his locker, watching her with an arched brow as she taped the photos to the door of her own. An elementary Serena and Mina with chocolate caked around their mouths, a moment captured with the gang at the beach freshmen year, a picture of a cat with a strange bald spot in the center of its forehead. His lips tweaked, just a bit. "I heard what he told you the other day, in chemistry." He batted his eyelashes. "I think your pigtails are cute. Oh, Serena, I love you so much. Serena, marry me!"

She turned on him, punched him hard in the arm. "Be quiet, Nathan. Nobody asked you for your input."

"True, yes, nobody did." He pulled out a spiral notebook, lips quirked. "But I do know for a fact that he gets a little stutter-happy when it comes to girls."

She didn't look at him. "What?"

The corners of Nathan's mouth softened. "You know, he gets nervous and shifty and tries to avoid questions, as surprising as that may seem. I mean, not to their faces, but when he _talks_about them, boy, does his face get red."

Serena pretended to straighten a picture. "He talks about girls? As in, plural, girls?"

Nathan waved his hands in front of him. "No, no, no. He only talks about a few girls. And I think one of them is his cousin, so that's nothing to worry about." He paused, licked his lips and straightened his tie. "He talks about you, a lot. And I think his palms sweat whenever he's around you."

Serena resisted the very importunate urge to smile. "We have lit first period, right?"

"Yeah."

She looked in the mirror that rested in the middle of a cluster of photos, occupied herself by smoothing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Okay. Thanks."

She forgot to close her locker before she strolled away, so, with a small, humored shake of the head, he shut it himself.

* * *

"We need to do something exciting."

"Why can't we just go traditional?"

"Traditional is so _boring_, though. Let's do something crazy, like rent a rock wall."

Serena had heard enough. From her spot at the head of the conference table, she stood. "Let me just clarify something." She scratched at her ear. "You no longer want to go along with the homecoming routine of catering, dancing, and fun. Now you guys want to do something outrageous."

The group around her nodded vigorously.

She nudged Phoebe, the secretary. "Write down that we want to rent a rock wall."

She nodded and bent forward to grab a pen. "Rock wall. Got it."

Zane picked his head up from the table and groaned. "Is this almost over yet?"

Serena sighed and plopped back down into her seat. "Zane, if I have to be here and stay awake, then you have to be here too. So wake up."

"Coffee..." he groaned and reached for her Starbucks. "I need coffee..."

She pushed his hand away. "Nick, Demitria, do you think you guys could come up with some fundraising ideas? If we want this..." she paused to come up with an appropriate word, "..._spectacular _homecoming, we could use a little help."

Zane grabbed her wrist and gave a sharp tug. "Coffee..."

Serena sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Here." She handed over her cup.

He smiled victoriously. "Thank you." He sat up and put his feet on the table. "So is that the theme for this year?"

They all looked at each other.

"_Spectacular_." He lifted an eyebrow and sipped some coffee. "Is that the theme for homecoming?"

Serena glanced around. "What do you guys think?"

They nodded their agreement.

"Alright then. _Spectacular_." She smiled. "Phoebe?"

"Got it."

* * *

Raye pulled her blouse over her head, hair fanning out around her shoulders. "There's a distinct difference between datingand having sex." Her skirt was unbuttoned next. "It's really not that complicated, though. I don't know why girls get all caddy about it."

Serena furrowed her eyebrow and toed her penny loafers. "Is this directed toward a specific someone?"

She pulled her shorts on, rolled the waistband a few times. Her navel ring glittered beneath the fluorescent lights. "No one you know."

Serena nodded and tightened her hair band.

Through the door to the locker room, a whistle pierced the air. "Saddle up, ladies! Times a wasting!"

They all shouldered their way through the archway and into the gymnasium.

"How nice of you ladies to join us," Miss. Berkley eyed them as they plopped onto the floor. "Now that you're here, get in some stretching, and then we'll head out to the soccer field."

Serena groaned and pushed up to her feet. "I'm horrible at soccer."

"You're horrible at all sports," Jake came up to her and shoved her shoulder. "While you took your good old time changing, I volunteered you to be goalie."

She blanched. "Jake!"

Miss. Berkley glanced up at her shout. "Tayse! Stretch!"

Serena clenched her jaw and pulled her arm across her chest. "Why didn't you volunteer somebody else?"

He made it a point to consider the question. "Remember when me, you, and Mina all played soccer together in second grade?"

She began to stretch her other arm. "Yeah..."

"And remember when you tried to kick the ball and you fell flat on your face?"

She made a sound in the back of her throat. "You're making it seem like you're doing me a favor."

"That's because I am, darling," he ruffled her bangs. "You'll thank me one day."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll thank you when I've got a bruise the size of a grapefruit in the middle of my forehead."

He smiled. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Miss. Berkley clapped her hands together. "Let's get this party rolling people! Anderson, grab a ball! Everyone else, let's go!"

Jake smacked her bottom as he passed. "Good luck, buttercup!"

Raye snorted as she approached. "Well, this could be an entertaining forty-five minutes."

Serena glared. "Shut up."

0

She scratched at the back of her head, watching as the next kicker approached the ball.

"Alright, Tayse," Miss. Berkley encouraged, "you've got to stop at least one of these. You've got this."

Serena's frown creased her forehead. Concentration beaded across her lip in a fine sheen of sweat. The kicker winded up, kicked.

She screamed as the ball whirled toward her head, and she fell to the ground, arms covering her head in a protective shell. It glided into the net as laughter broke out throughout the class.

Miss. Berkley sighed. "Alright," she looked around. "Shields, you're a soccer player. Get in there and help her out."

He wiped his hands on his shorts before jogging toward her cowering body. "Uh, Serena?" He bent over and caught sight of the one eye peeking out from between her arms. "I'm here to save you."

She lifted her head. "Am I really that bad?"

He tried to keep a serious face, but a cough that sounded like laughter broke his face into a smile. "Yeah. You are."

He reached for her hand to help her to her feet. "How about we split the net in half? You cover the left side, and I'll cover the right."

She nodded and dusted the dirt from her hands.

Darien waved toward Miss. Berkley. She popped her whistle back into her mouth. "Get ready," he warned, and bent over, hands on knees.

The first ball he caught landed smoothly into his palms. When he threw it back, his grin dimpled. "You look shocked."

"You make it look so easy." She tore her eyes away from his as someone else kicked. He chuckled, knocking away the oncoming ball with a curled fist.

"That's because it is," he bent down to pick up the ball. She let her eyes trace down his backside and toward his legs. "You've just got to practice."

She snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, sports and I don't mix very well."

"Heads up now!" Miss. Berkley called. "One more until we have to head in!"

Darien rubbed his palms together. "Alright, Serena. I have a feeling this one is all yours."

That was because Jake had the ball trapped beneath his foot, a wicked smile curled across his face.

She gulped.

"He's going to try and fake you out," Darien said out of the corner of his mouth. "He's going to start left, switch to his right foot, and then aim for your head."

She turned terrified eyes toward him. "How do you know?"

"Oh please," his eyes were a deep blue beneath the sun. "Jake's as readable as they come. So just keep your hands ready and he won't take your head off."

Her stomach knotted."Am I supposed to be scared right now?"

When he didn't answer, she turned back to face Jake. He winked at her.

And then he kicked.

The ball was motionless in the air, arching high, eclipsing the sun before it began its quick descent. She bit her lip to keep in a yelp and stretched out her arms.

The ball bent her wrists backward, a brief stab of pain, before it fell lamely to her feet.

She peeled open her eyes. In a panic, she kicked the ball away from her. "Am I alive?"

Miss. Berkley blew her whistle, arms thrown up into the air. "Hallelujah, praise the Lord!"

Serena's cheeks flushed. "I blocked it?" A scream of excitement bubbled out from her chest. "I blocked it!"

Beside her, Darien laughed and caught her as she jumped into his arms.

They were still laughing when she picked her head up from his shoulder and caught his eyes. Their noses brushed together.

He released her, and they shuffled away from each other.

"I... ah..." Serena pulled down the hem of her shirt. She turned sharply on her heel and darted toward Raye, where she stood waiting, arms crossed over her chest and one slim eyebrow raised. "I'll see you later," she called over her shoulder. But she couldn't will herself to look back at him.

* * *

"I can't go in there." Serena hugged her pass book to her chest, backside pressed to the counter. "I can't. He's my lab partner. What if he says something?"

Mina's finger tapped against her forearm. "You know, I'd love to hide out in here with you for the rest of the day, but I have lit right now, and it's Kennedy's turn to read his summer essay, and it's my duty to make faces at him."

Serena's cry came from somewhere in the back of her throat, words stretching out in a voice that caught on the last word. "I need you though!"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Alright, alright. Explain to me again what happened."

She shuffled her feet, staring dumbly down at the white floor tiles.

"Serena!"

"We hugged!" She threw her book down onto the counter, bit her lip as her throat tightened. "I blocked the stupid soccer ball and he smiled that stupid smile where it looks like he's about to make fun of me, but instead I just jumped him and he _smells_ really good even when he's sweating, and his arms are like _rocks_, Mina, rocks! And you're totally right because he's butt is really, _really_ nice and I don't even know if he likes me like _that_." She paused, inhaled, and Mina ran over to clamp a hand over her mouth.

"I think I've come to my diagnosis."

Serena's eyes were two wide orbs of tearing blue. Her words were muffled against Mina's palm. "What?"

"You love him."

Serena jerked away with a bark of laughter. "That's ridiculous. How can I love him if I-"

"Excuses, excuses, Serena," she fixed a wild ruffle in her skirt. "Come find me when you think you know what you're talking about."

And she left her standing there, trembling and fingers curled into fists.

Serena blinked and turned to stare at her reflection in the mirror. She clutched the edge of the counter, closed her eyes, and didn't move.

* * *

Zane cornered her at the top of the staircase, between the railing and the water fountain. "Where were you fifth period?"

Serena tried to resist the rolling of her eyes. "You're way too nosy. Now move." She attempted to step around him, but he took another step forward and forced her against the wall.

"Mr. Devine was asking about you. Said he saw you earlier today and wasn't sure why you weren't in class." He clucked his tongue. "Where were you?"

"You sound like my mother." Serena clutched her books against her chest. "I wasn't feeling good, okay? I had a pass."

His eyes, green and curious, had golden flecks dotted around the pupils. His mouth tightened. "You're lying."

"I'm not." She elbowed him in the gut, and he dutifully stepped aside.

Before she could get far, he caught her arm. "You worry me," he said. "I'm like a legitimate worried mama bear right now, because I know something's up." His fingers tightened on her arm; silent recognition. "And by the way, Mr. Devine said he wants to see you after school so he can relay the class notes and help you with the experiment."

Serena jerked away from him. "Thanks, Zane, really. But you don't have to worry about me."

He raised an eyebrow. "If you say so."

"I know so." She turned around sharply, pressed into the crowd of people. She felt his eyes on her the entire way.

Zane tucked his free hand into his pocket with a sigh. "If you say so."

* * *

She didn't go to Mr. Devine's class after school.

Instead, she sat on the top row of the bleachers, legs crossed and phone balanced in the dent of her skirt.

On the field down below, Kennedy tossed a football to Nathan. The tryouts were at four, she still had half an hour to kill and homework up to her eyeballs. But she couldn't draw the inspiration, the energy, to reach down into her backpack. She couldn't draw enough energy do anything except stare blankly down at the field, watching as the footballers gathered into a huddle for a quick discussion, as the cheerleaders, at the far end of the field, practiced their cartwheels and backhand springs.

One of the girls stumbled in her landing, fell onto her bottom, and Mina ran over to pull her to her feet. A few yards over, Raye rolled her eyes and tapped her foot.

Serena lifted an eyebrow as words were exchanged and the girl, a freshman, headed back over to try again.

Her landing was smooth, graceful, and Mina jumped into the air, clapping her hands like a maniac.

The sun dimmed as a thin cloud passed over its stretching rays, and the sudden change of light had her resting her elbows against her knees, her chin in her palm. The leaves of the towering trees just on the outskirts of the field rustled gently as a breeze drifted across the yard and wrapped around her like a tender cradle.

Her eyes began to droop.

0

She jerked upward as someone grasped her shoulder, keeping her from tumbling down the bleachers. She wiped at the corners of her mouth, eyes wide as the lingering sun pierced through the lasting remnants of sleep.

"Whoa there, Sere," Kennedy released her, pale eyebrows lifted and body silhouetted in a stretching shadow. "Have a nice nap?"

"What time is it?" She was already hefting up her backpack. "How long was I asleep?"

"Well, it's six o'clock, so you were out for about two hours, maybe two and a half." He followed her down the bleachers, duffle bag flung over one shoulder and cleats clonking against metal.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

He was a step behind her, hair freshly cut and glistening with sweat. "I was trying to, you know, try out for the football team and all."

She was suddenly thankful that she had thought of moving her car to a closer parking space. As she fumbled with her keys, he appeared before her, forearm pressed against the door to keep her from opening it.

"Mina told me what happened between you and Darien."

Serena froze, key half turned in the lock. She kept her eyes on her hand, stiff and pale against the dark paint of her car. "What are you talking about?"

Kennedy sighed, dropped his bag to the ground. "I want you to be happy, Serena. I really do." He lowered his arm to allow her to climb in. His hand held the door, keeping it open. "Are you sure he's the right person for you?"

She revved her engine, kept herself focused by playing with the radio knobs. "Is this really any of your business, Ken? I mean, first Zane thinks he can interrogate me, and now you?"

He shrugged one indignant shoulder. "No, not really. But you're my cousin, and since you don't have an older brother, it's my duty to look after you. He closed the door for her and waited until she rolled down the window. "Darien's... well, he's Darien. He has goals in his life that are set pretty high."

Serena put the car into reverse. "So..." She began rolling the window back up. "What you're saying is that you don't think I'm good enough for him?"

"I'm not saying anything. Just think about what's best for the both of you, that's all." He offered a smile. "Tell Aunt Ilene I said hey."

She nodded and began pulling away, knuckles white where she was gripping the steering wheel.

* * *

She bit into her jelly doughnut, caught the dripping filling with her finger. There was nothing better than a Saturday morning spent at the Kane Bakery.

Lita, apron knotted around her waist, carried over a tray of milkshakes. "Here you are, ladies," she smirked at them and deposited the three sweating glasses onto the table. "A generous tip is greatly appreciated."

Mina reached into her pocket to withdraw a mint. "This is all I have on me."

"Ha ha." Lita threw the candy at her face. "Anything else?"

"Yeah," Serena licked the jelly from her fingertips. "Are you hiring?"

Lita hugged her waitressing tray to her chest. "I can talk to my grandparents," one brown eyebrow lifted. "You don't strike me as a waitress type of person."

She shrugged. "What can I say," she chewed on the edge of her straw. "I'm a shocking person."

Lita shot her a strange look. "Alright then." The entrance chimed as a new customer entered. She lifted her tray in farewell.

Serena used her straw to dig out a cherry. "Waitressing can't be that hard, can it?"

Raye scooped a spoonful of milkshake out of the glass. "It requires balance, strength, and the ability to walk in a straight line." She licked the back of her spoon. "All of which you don't have, and are completely incapable of doing."

Serena felt her lip snare as she pulled the stem from between her lips. "Thank you, really. I appreciate your support."

"What can I say," Raye popped her own cherry into her mouth. "I'm a supportive person."

She rolled her eyes and reached for her purse as her phone buzzed. "Oh gosh," she sighed and pressed it to her ear. "Hi, Zane."

Mina reached over to take Serena's doughnut, watching with a smirk that had Raye snorting milkshake from her nose.

She glared at them and pressed her other hand against the shell of her ear to block out the noise. "Yeah, I know it's Saturday." She snatched her doughnut back and shoved the rest of it into her mouth. "Plans? No, not at the moment. But if you think I'm going to... Zane? Hello?" She made a sound in the back of her throat. "I hate him."

"You two are best friends."

Serena tossed her phone onto the table and slurped up more milkshake. "Totally not best friends."

Mina crossed her arms behind her head. "You'll probably pick him to be your maid of honor at your wedding."

"I hate you, too," she dug through her purse for money. "I'm leaving. Bye." She climbed over Raye as Mina made lame attempts to stifle her laughter.

"Bye beautiful!" Mina blew kisses and waved.

Serena waved over her shoulder and pushed open the door.

* * *

The driveway was littered with little economy cars, and as Serena parked by the curb, she could see through the window a group of pregnant women practicing aerobics. She trudged through the middle of the yard and shouldered open the front door.

The furniture in the living room was shoved up against the walls, and an instructor in yoga pants that showed her underwear line was busy jumping about.

Ilene, face pink and shiny with sweat, waved at her. "Hey, pumpkin! Want to join? This is a great workout!" All the women nodded and motioned her over.

"No thanks, Mom." She deposited her bag onto the coffee table that was upside down on the couch. "Do you know where Dad is?"

"He's hiding out in the bedroom." She brushed dark bangs away from her sticky forehead. "Probably watching some sort of game."

Serena nodded and backed away from the room and toward the staircase. The instructor began clapping her hands in time with the music that poured out from her boom box. "Alright mamas, reach for the sky. Yeah, good!"

She skipped steps and rounded the corner to her parent's room. The blinds were drawn, the ghostly glow from the television draped the room in white, and her father lay with arms crossed behind his head. She knocked on the doorframe, "What are you doing."

Kenneth turned drooping eyes toward her. "Watching the History Channel." He patted the mattress. "Join me?"

Serena toed her shoes before she padded across the carpet and climbed up next to him. The screen displayed a documentary of some ancient war. "Why do you always watch this channel?"

"It's either this or the Military Channel." He stretched his arm out and offered her into the little cradle. As she settled against the crook of his elbow, he angled his head down to kiss her temple.

She stared blankly at the screen for a few lingering minutes, and then her vision began to blur.

Her father was whispering something about the program, but the world around her was beginning to darken and fade dangerously.

She couldn't remember when she fell asleep, but she did.

0

"Wake up!" The mattress jerked wildly, repeatedly, and she floundered about like a beached catfish.

A pillow smacked her in the face, and then again, until a body fell on top of her.

"Hello, anyone in there?"

Serena groaned as the mattress began to shake again. "What time is it?" She rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands. "And what the heck do you want?"

A hand gripped the corners of her mouth and squeezed. "It's like four-thirty and I'm here to sweep you away to Candy Land where we can frolic in our tutus and shove lollypops down our throats."

"Zane?" She peeled open her eyes and stared into his smirking face.

"Right-o." He sat back, still on top of her, and pulled out his phone. "I've got plans for us tonight. Let's go. I already called everybody and this shit is about to go down. "

She pushed him off. "How did you get in here?"

He looked around her parent's room, and then back down at her. "Well, I rang the doorbell, your mom answered, I complimented her, and then she told me you were in here." He turned his phone around and mashed his mouth against her cheek. Serena made a face and tried to pull away.

The phone clicked as it captured the photo and Zane let her look at it. "This is a keeper." He pulled her from the bed. "Go get changed. Something comfy. But still look like your sexy little self." He followed her down the hall, into her bedroom, then to her closet. "I called Mina like two seconds after you, and she told me you were being a little puss. Apparently you don't think we're best friends?"

Serena pulled out a pair of skinny jeans and held them up for him to examine. He nodded, so she turned back in to search for a top. "Apparently whatever I say gets broadcasted across the face of the universe for everyone to know."

"Of course it does." He leaned against her dresser and watched her head toward her bathroom. She locked the door behind her, so he walked over to stand in front of it. "You're life is just so interesting, we can't help ourselves." The water ran, and he crossed his arms.

She pulled open the door, toothbrush dangling from her mouth. "Where are we going anyway?"

He lifted a blonde eyebrow. "That's a surprise."

She paused, turned to stare at him. Toothpaste dribbled down her chin. He laughed. "Hurry up, will you? The faster we get there, the better."

* * *

She ran a hand through her hair as Zane led her through a tangled pathway of underbrush, one finger hooked through a belt loop of her jeans to keep her close. The sun teased the horizon, blanketing the sky in an aurora of pink and yellow. Ahead, a fire crackled as someone poked it with a stick, coaxing it until its orange flames grew tall and wide. People chattered noisily about, loud and careless.

They broke through the trees, and someone handed them two red cups. She sniffed it.

She drew away sharply, eyes watering. "What is this stuff?"

Zane shrugged and took a swallow. It burned down his throat and made his cheeks tinge pink. "Who knows? But then again, who really cares." He untangled his hand from her jeans. "Time to let loose, baby."

He called to someone across the clearing, leaving her to fend for herself. She looked around aimlessly, hand wrapped around the cup, and then someone was waving her over.

Serena blinked as Raye elbowed a boy out of her way. "Well it's about time you got here," Raye grabbed her free hand and tugged her forward. "These people are boring me to death." She dabbed at the corner of her eye with a fingernail. As they moved away from the group, Raye motioned back at them. "Intellectually, they're all about as dumb as a pile of nails."

Someone backed a truck up and parked it between the trees; the trunk was open and loud, pounding music filtered out from the stereo system.

"And I swear," she continued as she waved away a cup that someone offered to her. "If one more idiot tries to get with me because their sloshed, I'm going to dropkick them so hard, they won't even..." Her voice trailed off as Serena came to a jerking stop beside her. "What?"

Serena shook her head. "Nothing."

Raye bent forward to follow Serena's eyesight. She squinted hard, then straightened back up. "Oh."

"Yeah." She continued to stare, right at Darien, who was gladly allowing Adrianna to hang against his shoulder. Her hair slid across her face as she bent against his cheek to whisper into his ear.

"Maybe it just looks fishy." Raye stepped in front of her to cut off her line of vision. "Like Jake totally thought I was letting some guy grope me once, but it was actually one of my gay friends just getting a piece of hair that was stuck to my sweater." She nodded vigorously, as if that would prove her point. "He nearly had a conniption and was so close to punching him in the face, but luckily I..." She clucked her tongue as Serena stood on the tips of her toes to peer over her shoulder. "It's nothing. Darien's not like that."

"He can be however he wants to be. It's not like we're dating or anything." She looked down at the cup still in her grasp, and then lifted it to her lips and drank half of it. "Let's go have some fun."

* * *

She had never drunk before. Never tasted alcohol that wasn't a sip from her mother's wine glass. And so, after three and a half cups of mystery drink, she was giggling uncontrollably and bouncing around in some unknown boy's lap.

At some point, Mina had come over to check on her, but she couldn't quite remember what she said. She didn't really care, either, because the boy was mumbling delicious things against her neck and she had never quite felt so free in her lifetime.

She twisted around until her knees slipped forward and clanked against the back of the metal chair, threw her arms around his neck and tugged him against her.

"Do you want to go?" he whispered against the crook of her neck.

She hiccupped and drew back to stare into his face. "Go where?"

His lips twisted into a small grin. "Why don't I show you?"

The two of them shifted uncomfortably until he finally slid out from underneath of her. He grasped her forearm, and she tried to concentrate on the stripes of his shirt, but her vision was distorting rapidly, so she just settled for stumbling along behind him.

It turned out to be his truck that was providing the music, and a few stragglers lingering around the trunk dispersed as he waved them off. He pulled open the back door and she peered inside. It took her a minute to realize that he wanted her to climb in. "Oh," she laughed out loud and jumped up onto the seat, shimmied over so he could follow her in. "So what do you want to show me again, because I can't really remember and..." She felt his hand pressed against her thigh, and she stuttered to a halt. "Oh!" She giggled. "I see what you're doing."

He nodded as he nudged her onto her back, covering her body with his own.

"There's just a little bit of a problem," her head tilted as his lips brushed across her neck. "I...ahem." His hand crept beneath the hem of her shirt, smoothed over her stomach. "I don't know your name."

He chuckled against the dip of her shoulder, and the muffled vibration sent shivers down her arms. He pulled away, letting in a burst of cool air that filtered in through the cracked windows. "It's Sean."

"Okay," she smiled into his blue eyes and drew his head down for an open kiss. "Nice to meet you."

He ran his fingers down her sides, moving his mouth along the line of her jaw.

Her world was spinning, a window of candied lights that glinted with the dancing flames of the fire just a few feet away. Sean was getting edgy, frisky and touchy as he groped her fully, knee slipping between the crest of her legs.

She was twining her fingers through his hair when a distant sound, the car door opening, registered in the cloudy recesses of her mind. His lips made a suction noise against her neck as someone tore him off of her. His knee jabbed her sharply in the side, and she sat up with a wince, shoving hair away from her face as she twisted around to stare into the clearing.

Her vision sharpened in time to see Darien's fist catch Sean's jaw.

People around turned to stare, mouths hanging open as a silence passed over the clearing. They all took a step closer to watch.

"What the fuck, Darien?" Sean rubbed his jaw where a rosebud bruise began to bloom. His own hand curled into a fist.

Serena's eyebrows furrowed. Darien looked over at her quickly, barely a glance at all, eyes narrowed with piercing anger, then refocused back to Sean. He lunged forward and caught him by the collar of his shirt, knuckles white. "Don't give me that _shit_, Sean. What the _fuck _do you think you were _doing_?" His teeth were gritted, jaw set as he tugged him a step closer. "She's fucking drunk!" He shook him fiercely, released him to draw back another tightened fist.

Sean took him out, shoulder to stomach, and they fell to the ground in a cloud of dirt and dust. They struggled for a moment, flying fists and bodies rolling, until Darien caught him cleanly across the nose, and blood was suddenly everywhere.

Serena ran toward the thickening crowd, shoved her way through. "Knock it off, Darien!" She picked up a stone and threw it toward them. She nearly lost her balance though, and she caught herself on someone standing nearby. "What the _hell _are you doing?"

Her voice caught on the last word, and she grappled for the back of his shirt. "Get off him!" Another fist flew, and she pounded her own against his back. "You don't have any right to be acting like some kind of barbarian!" She kicked at the dirt, sending a plume into the air. "Stop it right now!

Sean's face was caked in running blood, Darien's knuckles were cut and oozing with his own blood, or Sean's, and she was starting to cry.

"Stop it!"

Sean caught Darien in the side, but he had his hand around Sean's throat, nails digging in, and everything was happened so quickly, and then Serena's face paled.

It was two boys who finally pulled them off of each other, but they didn't stop clawing until Serena gagged once, twice, and then doubled over and hurled onto their sneakers.

* * *

_Thank you to all who have read, whether you've stopped by for the first time or are returning! Leave me a note in the reviews letting me know what you think or any guesses you have about what might happen in the next chapter! Any reviews are greatly appreciated and, as I said before, make my day!_

**-Chapter Three-  
_Preview_**

"Whoa, you look like shit."

Serena groaned. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Alright," she crossed her arms over her chest. "My grandparents decided to give you the job at the bakery."

Serena touched her forehead to the cool metal of the locker and let the news sink in. "I don't know how to waitress."

"Think of it like this, then." She patted her shoulder soothingly. "You won't have any free time to go and screw up your life at random parties on weekends anymore."

She frowned and shrugged until Lita dropped her arm. "You heard about that."

"I'm pretty sure everyone heard about that." Then, when Serena shot her a withering glare, she smiled sheepishly. "Nathan called after it all went down and caught me up."

Serena made a whimpering sound.

Lita pursed her lips. "It really isn't that big a deal, if you analyze the situation. I mean, you guys were all drinking, right?" She paused and gave Serena a second to answer, but when she didn't, she clambered on. "Darien was probably totally wasted, like you were, and just acted on emotion. Get what I'm saying?"

"Thank you, Dr. Kane. Now why don't you tell me some good news."

"Okay," she switched her books to her other arm. "Here comes Darien right now."

Serena pulled open her locker door and stared into her mirror. There he was, a wavering image over her shoulder. He definitely didn't look like he had been drinking. "Lita, I can't-"

Lita was busy hurrying herself in the opposite direction.

"Oh thanks, Lita! Really, I appreciate it!"

He cleared his throat behind her, and she gritted her teeth.

"We need to talk."


	3. Chapter 3

_Special thanks to: stephumz, SerenityMoonGodness, sakanascales876, mangamania, moonxxprincessxx18, and Alexander Supertramp for all the lovely reviews you've left! It means so much to me to know that you like Freefalling! _

**-Chapter Three-  
**I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.  
_~Marilyn Monroe_

Monday morning and a long weekend of sleep did nothing to relieve a pounding hangover and the burning heat of embarrassment. Her tongue was fat and heavy and dry as she tried to dampen her cracked lips, her hair refused to fall into the right places, and as a result, it looked like she woke up with a severe case of death.

Everything was slow-motion. The people around her nudged someone who hadn't been at the party, bent over and half-shielded their mouths with curved palms to relay the dirtiest gossip they could conjure up.

She felt as graceful as a marooned whale that had sunburn in all the wrong places after spending an afternoon stranded on land.

And when Lita saw her, her remark did nothing but help.

"Whoa, you look like shit."

Serena groaned and leaned against her locker as she tried to dial in her combination. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Alright," she crossed her arms over her chest. "My grandparents decided to give you the job at the bakery. You start next Saturday."

Serena touched her forehead to the cool metal of the locker and let the news sink in. "I don't know how to waitress."

"Think of it like this, then." She patted her shoulder soothingly. "You won't have any free time to go and screw up your life at random parties on weekends anymore."

She frowned and shrugged until Lita dropped her arm. "You heard about that."

"I'm pretty sure everyone heard about that." Then, when Serena shot her a withering glare, she smiled sheepishly. "Nathan called after it all went down and caught me up."

Serena made a whimpering sound.

Lita pursed her lips. "It really isn't that big a deal, if you analyze the situation. I mean, you guys were all drinking, right?" She paused and gave Serena a second to answer, but when she didn't, she clambered on. "Darien was probably totally wasted, like you were, and just acted on emotion. Get what I'm saying?"

"Thank you, Dr. Kane. Now why don't you tell me some good news."

"Okay," she switched her books to her other arm. "Here comes Darien right now."

Serena pulled open her locker door and stared into her mirror. There he was, a wavering image over her shoulder. He definitely didn't look like he had been drinking. "Lita, what am I supposed to do? I can't-"

Lita was busy hurrying herself in the opposite direction.

"Oh thanks, Lita! Really, I appreciate it!"

He cleared his throat behind her, and she gritted her teeth.

"We need to talk."

She closed her locker sharply and began walking away, books hugged tightly to her chest.

"Serena," Darien's voice sagged, and she could imagine his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm not playing around."

"Neither am I." She rounded a corner, but he grabbed her elbow, turned her sharply around and she closed her eyes to block out his image. He crowded her though, forced her to look up at him. "Fine," she whispered, and his eyebrows furrowed as he examined her face. "Talk quick. People are starting to stare."

His eyes didn't waver, didn't glance around to clarify the fact. "You're really starting to piss me off."

Her cheeks reddened with indignation. "Shut up, Darien. I didn't even do anything."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" His eyes narrowed. "Do you not think I don't know what you were trying to do Saturday?"

"I wasn't _trying _to do anything." She tried to step around him, but he grabbed her arm, tugged her into a deserted classroom and closed the door behind them. She jerked away from him. "What is your problem?"

He was staring at her hard; his face was drawn tight, as if he was trying to rein in some foreign emotion. "My problem is that you show up to that party and try to get with Sean. Sean, Serena. Sean, the goalie. That isn't even funny, because all this time I've been trying to get you to realize that... that I'm standing here waiting... And I thought we had this _thing _between us..." He passed a palm over his eyes. "This isn't making any sense."

She stared at him, focusing on his expression. "Do you like me?"

He peeled open an eye to look at her. "What?"

Serena set her jaw, nostrils flared. "Do you. Like. Me." She pressed her hand to his chest to push him away, headed toward the door, grasped the knob and stared at it as she spoke. "Because if you really did, then you would have realized that I've been the one standing and waiting. And if you would have looked past that slut Adrianna as she was hanging off you like some kind of Christmas ornament-"

"What does Adrianna have to do with any of this?" He threw his arms into the air and felt a shred of patience wither. "She doesn't mean anything to me! God," he ran a hand roughly through his hair. "One thing happened between us freshmen year. Freshman year, Serena, and you think I actually enjoy her clinging to me like a leech?"

Serena stared at him in silence, mouth set into a thin line. "Maybe," she said carefully, "all of this isn't even worth it."

Darien's eyes narrowed.

"If you would have just told her to go screw herself over some other guy instead up just accepting the fact that she is a blood sucking leech, then you would have realized a long time ago..." She shook her head. "Don't blame anything on me. And don't try to blame it on Adrianna. You're stupid and ignorant and... and...I'm done wasting my time waiting around hoping that you'll come and sweep me off my feet."

She shouldered open the door, nearly ran into some wandering freshman as she stumbled into the hallway. Her cheeks were hot with embarrassment and hurt.

She looked back once to find him staring after her.

* * *

"Can't we all just get along?" Mrs. Crawford smacked her Shakespearean novel against her podium and waved her other hand around wildly in the air. "Is that what William was trying to get across, or something else? A subliminal message, maybe?"

Serena's cheek nearly slipped out of her palm and onto her desk. She shook her head to try to clear the muddled, bored cloud in her head, but the attempt failed.

"Which leads me into your homework for this evening." She turned to the whiteboard and picked up a marker. "I want you all to read Act I of Romeo and Juliet, take consistent and in-depth notes. Read between the lines, now. Tomorrow's discussion will be on what Shakespeare may have been thinking when he wrote about these two_star-cross'd lovers_."

Serena felt her eyes droop.

"There will also be a group project. After class, see me to find out what two other people are in your group of three, and together, you will come up with a fun way to explain your assigned act to the rest of the class. This project will count as thirty percent of your final grade, and is graded off group effort, not on individual evaluation."

She took her textbook and propped it up on her desk, silently sliding down into her chair as Mrs. Crawford continued.

"You can use other literary examples to support your explanation, whether other works by Shakespeare or by completely different authors."

She crossed her arms and tucked her chin against her chest, inhaled deeply and relished the sweet moment of sleep.

"So I take it that you will be seeing me after school today, am I right, Miss. Tayse?"

The words registered, a little nuisance piercing into her mind, but she refused to acknowledge it.

"Miss. Tayse!"

Someone kicked the back of her chair, and she jerked upwards. "What? What's the matter?"

There was a rumble of laughter through the room, and she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands.

"After school today, Miss Tayse." She lifted an eyebrow; a silent challenge.

She stared up at her, didn't take the bait. "Okay."

"Okay," Mrs. Crawford touched the corner of her desk before moving back to the front of the classroom. "Let's discuss theatrical fame in the Elizabethan Era."

Serena scowled and sank back down into her chair.

* * *

Kennedy stared at Darien from where he sat on the opposite side of the table. The study hall was loud and obnoxious, but there the two of them sat, Kennedy with his arms over his chest and Darien with his head in his hands.

"Occasionally, Darien, I wonder how you're able to even keep yourself in the top five percent our class. That's how stupid you are sometimes."

He glanced at him from between the gaps of his fingers. "She made it seem like everything was my fault."

Kennedy scratched at the tip of his nose. "Well, from what I hear, it does sound like you were pretty dumb."

He sat up straight. "I'm pretty sure I came here for help, not for you to tell me I have absolutely no idea how to handle her."

He shrugged. "She's my cousin."

"Okay, okay," Darien pressed his hands flat against the desktop. "I'm quoting Zane here, but I'm pretty sure it goes like this." He cleared his throat. "Bros before hoes?"

Kennedy coughed to cover up his laugh. "So now Serena is a hoe?"

Darien's face visibly paled. "Well, no, I was just saying figuratively... I mean, I _respect _her and I would never..."

Kennedy waved his hand, pushing the stuttered words away. "I've got your back, you know that." He leaned forward, balanced his chin against his fingertips. "And Mina and I had a little discussion last night."

He stared at him for a long, silent minute. "What?"

"Mina came over last night for a study session. And while reviewing western civilization notes, she kind of went off on a little tangent."

Darien felt his eyebrows lift up. "A tangent."

He nodded carefully, and Darien could see that Kennedy was contemplating his next words. "I'm going to ask you something."

"Okay."

Kennedy tapped his bottom lip and stared hard at the desk. Then, after he dropped his hand into his lap, he looked back up at him "Why do you like her?"

Darien sat back, clapped his hands on top of his knees. Kennedy stared expectantly at him, one pale brow arched.

He racked his mind, picturing memories and moments with Serena. When he tutored her in algebra II sophomore year, when she tripped in the lunchroom and her tray full of spaghetti ended up in his lap, when she first got her license and she called him at two in the morning to shout into his ear about how excited she was and she knew Mina was asleep but something told her he would be up and she just _had _to talk to someone about all of her excitement because she was practically dying to drive around without her parents shouting at her from the passenger seat and she was just ready to _explode_.

He hadn't been up, but he still talked to her until he was positive she fell asleep with her phone against her ear.

Darien felt his mouth curve into a grin. "What's not to like?"

The corners of Kennedy's lips twitched. "Then tell me," the bell rang, and they both began gathering up their books, "why you're just letting yourself sit back and hope this ridiculously large hole between the two of you is going to mend itself?"

They stood, things cradled against their hips.

"What do you think I should do?"

Kennedy glanced at him from the corner of his eye as they pressed into the flowing crowd of students. "Bro," they began the ascension of a staircase. "That's entirely up to you."

* * *

"Just a little higher." Serena stood beneath Jake, hands grasped tight around the legs of the ladder as she directed him. He stretched, muscles straining, until he was standing on his toes. "Right there. Yeah. That's perfect."

Behind her, Mina buttered her lunch roll. "Why can't you just do this after school?"

Jake fastened the banner against the wall and began to descend down the rungs of the ladder. It read _Spectacular: A Homecoming Designed for the Fabulous._ "Because we're busy people, Mina."

She chomped down on the roll and glared at him. "I wasn't talking to you, Jake."

He made a face at her before turning to Serena. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, I can handle everything from here." She bent over to pick up a pile of flyers at her feet. "Thanks for your help. You're a doll."

"Oh, I know," he folded up the ladder and hefted it up. "Enjoy your detention after school, by the way. I've got ten dollars saying she's going to make you write 'I will not fall asleep in class' a hundred times."

She shot him a glare. "Go away."

He winked. "I'm going to win this bet."

As he walked away, Serena turned her back on him to hand Mina a flyer. "Homecoming, October eighth. Be there or be square."

Mina read the flyer over. "There's going to be a rock wall?"

She nodded. "Not my idea, but everyone else liked it, so why not?"

Her forehead crinkled. "That's going to be amazing."

"That's the goal," she licked her index finger to peel up a corner of the paper. "Can you hand me a piece of tape? We've got two hundred fliers and only twenty minutes to put them up."

Mina shoved the rest of the roll in her mouth and grabbed up the tape dispenser. "Let's go."

* * *

Miss. Berkley was remarkably good at making Serena look like an idiot.

"Tayse, I know you're faster than that! I've seen you sprint down the hallways last year when you were late to class!"

She huffed and pinched a cramp in her side with her fingers. "That's different," she breathed out as she jogged passed her. "I had to do that. More than three tardies and then I wouldn't be allowed to run for student council..." she trailed off as she made her way back around the track. She was beginning to see exploding white spots everywhere she turned. "This, though..." another aching gasp. "This is torture."

Raye and Jake trotted past her, stride for stride and hip to hip.

"Raye and Jake don't seem to mind running laps!" Miss. Berkley put balled fists onto her hips. "They seem to be enjoying it!"

Raye turned around and smirked. Serena stuck her tongue out at her. "That's because they're freaks! They go running together every weekend!"

"Excuses, excuses, Tayse." She popped her whistle into her mouth and blew. Serena groaned and collapsed to the ground. "Saddle up and hit the showers!"

Serena laid there for a minute, limbs stretched out wide as she listened to the blood pounding against her temples. The sun beat against her face, a mocking reminder that she still had one more class before the end of the day, and then a shadow passed over her.

She kept her eyes closed for a moment longer before she finally peeled open one lid.

Darien stood over her, smirking and shining with perspiration.

Serena glowered and rolled over to push herself to her feet. "Get out of here."

"Oh come on," he caught up to her as she began to walk away. "At least let me apologize."

"About what? The fact that you're an idiot?" She swept sweaty bangs away from her forehead and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Because if that's it, I really don't want to hear it."

He rubbed his palm on the underside of his chin, contemplating her words. "Okay, so, at lunch, I kind of thought over what you said. You know, how I was stupid and ignorant and such." He waved his hand in the air to emphasize his point. "And, while I feel that we both were mutually idiotic, I realize that you're right."

Serena stopped at the entrance to the gymnasium and crossed her arms, cocked her hip and waited for him to continue.

He scratched his neck awkwardly as students passed between them. "Look, we're playing Galloway Prep today at four. Come to the game after your detention and-"

"How do you know about that?"

"Jake told me," he shrugged. "Anyway, just come and let me prove to you that I'm sorry."

She pursed her lips.

He tried so hard to keep a serious face, but as they continued to stare at one another, his lips began to tweak upwards. "Please?" he tried, and spread his fingers out toward her.

She scuffed the ground with the toe of her sneaker. "Well," she stared at his calves before she lifted her eyes to meet his. "Alright. I'll go."

His face split into a smile.

"But you're not forgiven until I say so."

"That sounds good to me," and he continued to smile at her, long after she disappeared into the girls' locker room.

* * *

She dropped the marker and rubbed her wrist furiously. Mrs. Crawford, from where she sat at her desk in the far corner, looked up over her reading glasses.

"Is your hand tired, Miss. Tayse?"

Serena stared at the whiteboard, dropped her wrist and picked up the marker again. "Not at all, Mrs. Crawford. It's just that my family has a long line of nerve issues in the wrist. No big deal."

She made a sound of disapproval beneath her breath. "And I'm sure lying through your teeth will look great on your school record, just alongside sleeping in class." She flipped a page in her book. "Now stop wasting my time and yours. I've got a dinner to make at home."

Serena grumbled, "I will not fall asleep in class." She sketched out the words sloppily, beneath the other ten sentences she had already written. "I will not fall asleep in class."

There was a soft knock on the door. "Excuse me, Mrs. Crawford?" Mr. Devine poked his head through the threshold. "Would you mind if I spoke to Serena for a quick moment?"

She puckered her lips, narrowed her eyes as she assessed him. "She's in detention, and I personally don't think it's appropriate to speak with her during her punishment."

He looked over at Serena, then at the marker in her hand, and then at the sentence written on the board. His mouth tightened as he tried to control an arising smile. "I promise it'll only take a minute."

Serena looked back and forth between them as a staring match ensued.

Finally, Mrs. Crawford turned back to her book. "Make it quick."

Mr. Devine smirked. "Thank you."

Serena capped the marker and hurried over to him.

He motioned her into the hallway before closing the door behind her. "I need to ask you a favor."

She cocked her head. "Okay..."

Mr. Devine placed his palm against the wall beside her head and leaned close. "Next week, there's a science convention in the city. But the guidelines state that I have to bring a student who doesn't participate in any strenuous extracurricular activities, to give other students a chance or some kind of weird discrimination."

"Oh," she tried to take a glimpse at his arm, because it was disturbingly close to her ear. "Well, I'm in spirit club. That's extracurricular."

"Yes, but not strenuous." He curled his fingers against the wall. "And besides, my top students all participate in some form of sports. So, you're the next best thing."

Her brows furrowed. "I suck at chemistry."

Mr. Devine's laugh dissolved into an exasperated sigh as he dropped his head. "Serena, your grades are average. You're maintaining a high B. So what if you're no Shields or... or, forgive me for the comparison, but Zane?" He withdrew his arm and took a healthy step backward. "Think about it, alright? Let me know by the beginning of next week."

"But Zane doesn't do any strenuous activities."

Mr. Devine's mouth tightened. "Zane told me he's the manager of the girl's swim team. And also that he sings the national anthem at all swim meets, including boy swim meets. And that he has been in the play as the lead role since his sophomore year."

Serena frowned.

He kept a serious expression. "Think about it for me?"

She thought about it for a minute, and then nodded carefully. "Alright. I'll let you know."

"Great," his grin was lopsided. "Now get back in there before Mrs. Crawford gives me a detention."

Serena couldn't hold back her smile. "Ay, ay Captain."

* * *

Mina dipped her brush into the blue paint bottle. "Look up." Lita did so, and Mina dabbed the paint across her lower eyelid. "Okay, down."

Serena stared into the bathroom mirror. "I look absolutely ridiculous."

"Girl, you look fabulous." Mina leaned away to examine Lita's face. "Okay, you're done. Do you want anyone's number on your cheek?"

She shook her head and stood. "Nathan said he'd give me a kiss and a promise if I wore his number on my boobs for Friday's football game. So might as well save it for then."

Serena crinkled her nose and turned to look at the number on her own cheek. "I don't even know who number fifteen is. Who is that?"

Mina peered into the mirror to draw a white heart on her forehead. "Darien."

Her cheeks reddened; she was suddenly thankful for the blue mask to hide it. "You're one of the biggest idiots I've ever met, you know that?"

She shrugged and blew a kiss. "You love me."

"And I have absolutely no idea why."

Lita pulled open the bathroom door. "Come on, losers. We've got a team to cheer on."

By the time they made it to the soccer field from the school, the bleachers were packed and filled with rumbling, rolling students draped in navy shirts and fans waving noisemakers wildly in the air.

Raye called to them from the first row, waving her arms madly in the air over her head.

Serena plopped down next to her. "Where're the boys?"

She pointed down toward the fence, where Jake, Zane, and Nathan stood, shirtless and stomachs painted with big blue letters: AHA.

"Kennedy?"

"Alright folks," Serena looked over to the announcer balcony, and there he sat, a sheet of paper held in front of his face. "Welcome to the AHA versus Galloway Prep soccer game. Please remember that all fans must remain off the field, and must show respect for your team and the opponent. Any spectator that chooses to violate these rules will be escorted off the premises and asked not to return." There was a pause, followed by an impatient grumble from everyone down below. "Now, please stand, remove your caps, and turn to face the flag. Join AHA's own Mina Anderson as she sings our country's national anthem."

The marching band rallied out onto the field, drums pounding and shoulders squared, and as Mina accepted a microphone from the coach, she smiled at the crowd. Soaking up the limelight.

Serena linked her hands in front of stomach, let her eyes skim across the field. Darien looked up at her, smiled, and she had to force herself to look away, because she remembered that she was still angry with him.

The crowd erupted into applause and cheers, and Serena realized that the song was finished. She clapped dumbly along with everyone else, watching as the referees met in the middle of the field to call captains.

Darien ran quickly over to them, leaned in to whisper a question, and after a brief, hesitant exchanging of looks between them, they all nodded.

Serena felt her brow furrow as he jogged back to the sideline to retrieve the microphone.

0

Darien cleared his throat as he stopped midfield, palms sweaty and heart quick as he searched the crowd. Serena was staring at him, mouth hanging open.

"Uhm." He pulled the microphone away as the speakers hissed angrily. The crowd screeched in response. "Hi everyone. Hope your having a good time." He turned to wave at the Galloway Prep crowd, and they were all staring at him like he was crazy.

He cleared his throat again, felt a beginning sensation of awkwardness settle on his shoulders. "There's a reason I'm out here. And I knew I'd have plenty of witnesses to hear me out, just in case things go horribly wrong." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "You see, there's this girl I know. And she's mad at me because she thinks I'm an idiot." There was a round of laughter from the Galloway fans behind him. His cheeks started to redden, but he pushed away the embarrassment and soldiered on.

"The problem is, I promised her I'd apologize because I may have screwed things up between us just a tiny, little bit." He shrugged. "That's why I'm here. She told me she'd let me know when I was forgiven, and I'm kind of hoping that by the time I'm done here, she'll understand what I'm all about."

He spread his free arm out wide. "She's the only girl who makes my palms sweat every time I see her walking down the hallway." He realized that this may not have been the manliest thing to say, but as Serena continued to stare at him with wide, blue eyes, he found that he really didn't care. "Who I'd forgive after she purposely knocked over my coffee because she knew I couldn't get through the day without it. Who I'd spend three hours with after school helping study just so she could pass her algebra midterm."

Serena was gaping at him openly now, and he really couldn't resist what he said next. "Serena Tayse, you are the clumsiest, silliest, craziest girl I know." Her eyes widened, and he felt his heart skip a beat. "That moment we collided in the hallway freshmen year, I knew. I knew you were the girl for me."

He was starting to breathe unsteadily as his stomach twisted into knots. The feeling, foreign and strange, sparked his nerves with the electric shock of people staring at him. He felt all eyes, every single pair, settle on him, pressuring him to continue. He had to pull this off.

"Serena Tayse, I honestly think..." he had to stop and smile at her, because her expression made a bubble of laughter press against his chest. Her jaw snapped closed, but a hand lifted to press right against her heart. "I honestly, truly, wholly believe you are..." He switched the microphone to his other hand, and there was a collective inhalation of breath from the people around him. "Serena Tayse, you are the love of my life."

There was a stillness that stuttered across the crowd. But he continued, never let his eyes stray from hers. "And whether we win or lose tonight, I'm going to find you in those bleachers, and I'm going to kiss you and tell you for the second time tonight."

He could sense her confusion, could see the way her nose scrunched up and her eyebrows furrowed, even when he was fifty yards away. "Serena Tayse, I love you."

Utter silence drifted across the stadium. It was so silent, so noiseless, he could have sworn he heard the crickets chirping.

It was someone from Galloway Prep, the goalie maybe, who cupped his mouth and shouted, "Well? Is he forgiven?"

0

Serena was trembling. Shaking and staring at him in absolute shock.

Mina shoved her forward, and everyone was staring expectantly at her as she reached out to grip the cold medal of the safety railing.

"Tell him you forgive him!"

"Tell him you love him!"

"Say something, will you?"

Someone handed her the microphone, and she found that she was beginning to laugh. It all seemed so absurd, so completely unreal. Just like a fairytale.

She blinked, wrapped her fingers tight around the microphone so it wouldn't slip from her numb grasp. And when she opened her eyes again, Darien was staring directly at her, that silly, crooked, teasing smirk curving his mouth.

"Darien Shields," she laughed again, because that was all she could do, because her voice was trembling like her hands were, like her heart was. "Darien Shields, I honestly, totally, fully believe that you have just completely swept me off my feet."

His smirk widened into a smile that she mirrored, and as she handed down the microphone, she withdrew back to her seat, shook her head, and was glad when Kennedy spoke over the speakers again, because everyone was watching her as she was watching Darien, and her stupid smile wouldn't disappear.

"After that lovely interruption," he flapped his paper back in front of his face, "let's introduce our starters..."

* * *

She had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Zane jumped around like a madman and yelled something inappropriate every time someone touched the ball. Jake threw his hands up and complained every time a referee blew a whistle and blamed something on an AHA player.

Nathan was busy flexing his muscles for Lita, who was busy watching him.

But Darien seemed to know what he was doing. He was fast- a lot faster than he looked during gym class- and he never seemed to lose the ball, unless some Galloway kid slipped and fell on his face, and he tripped over his body and tumbled across the grass.

That usually earned someone a yellow ticket. Or card. She couldn't remember what it was called.

She glanced at the scoreboard. The score was still one to one.

Raye jumped up and started screaming. "What the hell was that, ref? Open your eyes! He was riding him like a freaking horse!"

Down on the field, Darien pushed himself up from the ground, arm and half of his uniform stained green from his slide across the grass, but he ignored the incident and began running in the opposite direction.

Mina grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "You better start screaming or something, because if we lose this game, the cafeteria's tater tots are going to end up being string beans, and I hate them."

Serena stared at her, then refocused on the field. "Come on, guys!" She looked back at Mina, who smiled and flashed her two thumbs up. "Kick their butts!"

From the goalies net, Sean glanced over at her. Her eyes widened, because he looked genuinely displeased as the referee blew the whistle and signaled a stop.

"It's going into overtime." Mina grabbed her by her shirt and shook her. "Overtime! I swear, if we lose, I'm going to freak out! I hate string beans!"

As the team huddled up around the sideline, Sean grabbed Darien and pulled him close. He pointed over in her general direction, and Darien shoved him away.

She squinted and tried to read lips, but the coach shouted something at them, and they shot a final glare at each other before stepping back into the huddle.

Raye started laughing. "They're totally fighting over you."

"Be quiet, Raye."

She shrugged her shoulders as everyone retook their positions on the field. "Whatever you say, princess."

She ignored her, and instead, she watched Darien move, watched as he put a fist on his waist and used his other hand to wipe sweat from his forehead.

And when the game started up again, she blanked out and stared at some distant spot on the field. She really wasn't fond of sports. They bored her nearly to tears. But she was aware of the rumble of shouts from the fans around her, of the quick blurs of color as players sprinted back and forth. Of Mina as she randomly grabbed at her and began to wrench her around wildly.

It was a collective gasp from the crowd, though, that jerked her back to reality.

Darien was on his stomach, frozen, fists pressed against the ground as the coach rushed toward him. She could see blood running down the side of his face.

"What happened?" Serena grabbed Raye by the arm and tugged hard. "What just happened?"

Raye looked shocked, mouth hanging open and eyes wide. "Some asshole just checked him in the face. He was going in to score, and some _fucking idiot _elbowed him in the face and then..." She trailed off and tried to reign in her tempered anger. "He just threw him to the ground. What the _hell_ is that?"

Serena released her and turned her attention back to the field. The teams were ushered back to their sidelines as the bloody towels began to pile up.

The coach helped Darien into a sitting position and asked him to follow his finger.

"He's okay," Serena said dumbly. "He's fine."

Another towel was pressed against his eye to stop the blood from reaching his uniform.

Darien twisted around to ask the referee something.

After he received an answer, he motioned the coaches aside and pushed himself to his feet.

The blood was still flowing, running down his cheek like great crimson rivulets. The referee placed the ball down and popped his whistle into his mouth. Players retook positions, recognized with clenched fists and determined faces that the clock was quickly ticking down.

Darien used the back of his hand to wipe away some blood as it trickled into the corner of his lips. He lined up a few feet behind the ball and analyzed the net, the goalie, the situation.

"He's nuts," Mina had her cheeks cupped. "He's taking the shot. He's taking it. Absolutely nuts. Is this even legal? I'm pretty sure this is absolutely illegal."

He lifted his hand into the air, a signal to the referee to blow his whistle. As the ringing pierced the silent air, Darien stepped back, muscles gliding beneath glistening skin, and he started left, a quick step that had everyone leaning.

When his foot met the ball, the crowd stood on the tips of their toes, leaned forward with wide eyes and open mouths, watching as the ball curved.

The goalie dove, arms and fingers stretched out. But he missed; the ball glided sharply into the back of the net.

Serena began jumping up and down as cheers erupted and the whistle blew and Darien fell back to the ground, laughing as teammates barreled out toward him. The bleachers quickly emptied, a stampede of crazy, screaming fans as a wild sensation of chaos passed over everyone.

Mina jerked to a halt and turned back toward her; everyone billowed out around her. "Aren't you coming?"

Serena nodded and clanked across the bleachers. Her arms were crossed over her chest, a small smile on her face.

0

Darien winced as the needle pierced through his skin again. The taste of blood was still fresh on his tongue, and he tried to concentrate on that particular flavor, because he was not a big fan of needles. "I'm fine," he assured the trainer again. "Really, it's just a little scratch. It'll be healed up in the morning."

"Shields," the trainer tied off the final suture. "I just gave you fourteen stitches. This baby would have never healed up on its own."

Serena stood silently in the middle of the crowd, watched as the trainer showed Darien some official paperwork. "No physical activity for two weeks."

"But-"

"No physical activity." He pulled out a cell phone. "I'm going to go call your parents, and after you're done celebrating and such, come find me."

Darien stood, and it was Zane who jumped into his arms. "Darien Shields, you've just swept me off my feet! Now give me a big smooch!"

He made a face and shoved him away.

Serena felt a blush return as people around her started whispering.

"Excuse me, excuse me," Darien pushed through the crowd, and they dutifully parted around her to allow him entrance. One side of his face was still dyed red from the blood. That, mixed with the sweat that drenched his hair and made his jersey stick around his waist and that same smile that sent her heart racing every single day, threw her into utter speechlessness. Her mind was totally blank.

Everyone was listening, and Serena took a step toward him.

Her face paint was smeared and faded in some spots, her hair was falling out of her braid, and she looked up at him through the fan of her lashes.

The smile she gave him had him stumbling for something to say.

She beat him to it. "I'm the clumsiest, silliest, craziest girl you know?"

He chuckled, pure and honest and so unbelievably perfect that she grabbed the number fifteen on his jersey and tugged him a step closer.

His cheek was warm against her own as he bent down to touch his lips to her temple. His voice was a whisper, words meant only for her ears. "Serena Tayse..." And suddenly the world drifted away; the people, the whispers, the stadium lights and excitement dissolved as his words vibrated against the shell of her ear.

His hands touched the sharp point of her hip bones, sending a jolt through her nerves. He pulled back, lifted his palms to cup her cheeks. The first touch of lips was soft, fleeting and so gentle that she wasn't sure if it really happened.

"Serena Tayse," his voice was louder now, letting everyone know, hear, witness what was happening. "I am absolutely, totally, undeniably in love with you."

She met him halfway as he caught her mouth in a kiss that was longer, deeper, so much sweeter than the first. With her arms tight around his neck, he lifted her up and swung her around, until they were both so dizzy that neither of them could determine the difference between left and right. Until they could only see what was straight ahead.

And even then, as she laughed uncontrollably and he clung to her to keep his balance, the lingering breath between them was too much, and they let their lips meet again to seal an unspoken promise that flowed through their veins. That hummed against their skin as her heart skipped a beat, and his caught the fumble.

* * *

_Thanks to everyone who has read and will continue to read on! May you all enjoy the upcoming holiday break, and everyone be safe! Don't hesitate to review and let me know that you thought! All comments are greatly welcomed!_

**-Chapter Four-  
_Preview _**

"You will never believe this," she skidded to a halt and caught her breath on laughter that was uncontrollable. She slapped a rolled up newspaper against her knee and gripped Raye's shoulder for support as she tried to gather herself. "I can't, I just can't."

Lita snatched the paper from her grip and uncurled. "Campaigns Force Politicians to Step Up?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "What's so funny about that?"

Mina grabbed it back. "Not _that_." She flapped it open to the sports section and cleared her throat noisily. "The Pack Preys on Galloway."

Raye glanced over at Lita, who shrugged and pulled open her locker.

"The Academy of Holy Angels Wolverines sniff out and hunt down the Galloway Prep Falcons in a wild soccer thriller that had everyone on their feet since the opening whistle. Fans adorned face paint and cheers while players hustled and...blah, blah, don't really care..." She puckered her lips and skimmed through the paragraph. "Okay, okay, here it is!" She cleared her throat again. "But the biggest surprise of the night was just before opening kickoff, Academy's starting winger, senior Darien Shields, took hostage of a microphone and made a most peculiar announcement."

Mina looked up to find Lita and Raye staring back at her with dropped jaws. "Unbelievable," Raye rubbed at her forehead. "Does Serena-"

"Let me finish!" Mina glared at the two of them from over the top of the paper. "After stepping to center field and gaining everyone's attention, he turned toward the home bleachers to give a speech to a girl who hid behind a mask of blue paint. Serena Tayse, also a senior at the Academy, listened with an ajar mouth as Shields announced to her his love."

Lita bit off a sharp laugh. When Mina glanced at her, she motioned for her to continue.


	4. Chapter 4

_Special thanks to: stephumz, moonxxprincessxx18, SerentiyMoonGodness, angel313, mandii-xo, sakanascales876, Little Miss Moon Princess, and Tearjerker22 for your lovely reviews! I appreciate it greatly!_

**-Chapter Four-  
**"Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see life with a clearer view again."  
_~Alex Tan_

Mina's laughter was loud, obnoxious, and completely out of place in the dead hallway. Students slugging across the tiles jumped and shuffled out of the way as she barreled past them.

"You will never believe this," she skidded to a halt, gasping on uncontrollable laughter. She slapped a rolled up newspaper against her knee and gripped Raye's shoulder for support as she tried to gather herself. It wasn't working. "I can't, I just can't."

Lita snatched the paper from her grip and uncurled it. "Campaigns Force Politicians to Step Up?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "What's so funny about that?"

Mina grabbed it back. "Not _that_." She flapped it open to the sports section and cleared her throat noisily. "The Pack Preys on Galloway."

Raye glanced over at Lita, who shrugged and pulled open her locker.

"The Academy of Holy Angels Wolverines sniffed out and hunted down the Galloway Prep Falcons in a wild soccer thriller that had everyone on their feet since the opening whistle sounded. Fans adorned face paint and cheers while players hustled and...blah, blah, don't really care..." She puckered her lips and skimmed through the paragraph. "Okay, okay, here it is!" She cleared her throat again. "But the biggest surprise of the night was just before opening kickoff, when Academy's starting winger, senior Darien Shields, took hostage of a microphone and made a most peculiar announcement."

Mina looked up to find Lita and Raye staring back at her with dropped jaws. "Unbelievable," Raye rubbed at her forehead. "Does Serena-"

"Let me finish!" Mina glared at the two of them from over the top of the paper. "After stepping to center field and gaining everyone's attention, he turned toward the home bleachers to give a speech to a girl who hid behind a mask of blue paint. Serena Tayse, also a senior at the Academy, listened with an ajar mouth as Shields announced to her his love."

Lita bit off a sharp laugh. When Mina glanced at her, she motioned for her to continue.

"Shields played one of the best games of his high school career. Whether he was fueled by the desire for conquest or by the desire to win over the heart of the _girl he knew was for him_, as he so chivalrously exclaimed, no one will know. But, we do know that the Wolverines put away another exhilarating victory, and Shields took home more than just another locker room story. With fourteen stitches on his brow bone from a nasty elbow to the face, and a charming, petite blonde hooked to his elbow, what more could this boy come across?" She clucked her tongue. "And then it goes off about playoff positions and boring stuff like that. But wasn't it great!"

Mina beamed a wide smile and turned the paper around so they could see the pictures. There was one with the team in a huddle, another where Darien had the ball trapped beneath his foot as he glared hard at the net, squinting through sweat and blood, and then the final one, with Serena's arms around his neck and her mouth on his, feet up off the ground as he swung her around.

"Unbelievable," Raye said again, snatching it so she could hold it closer to her face.

"Has she seen it yet?" Lita peered over Raye's shoulder to get a glance of her own. "I mean, this is pretty legitimate."

Mina picked a piece of fuzz off her polo. "I already had Zane make a hundred copies of the article so we could hang them up around school." She smiled. "Their love was born to be in the spotlight."

"You were born and were obviously dropped on your head." Raye shoved the article back into Mina's hands. "Get your mind out of the gutter, will you? The two of them probably won't even notice."

She felt her forehead crease. "Why do you already have to ruin things, you old fart?"

Raye snorted. "Just trying to put a little light on the situation, is all." She winked. "Now, who wants to go dress shopping this weekend?"

Mina tucked the article into one of her folders. "I'd love to." She puckered her lips and began to back away slowly. "But a certain boy has yet to ask me to homecoming. Maybe when he grows a pair and finally figures out that I would certainly _love _to go with him, then-" She jumped and whirled around as she backed into someone. "Mr. Devine!" She smiled, hugged her books to her chest awkwardly. Behind her, Lita and Raye made no attempt to stifle their laughter. "What can I do for you?"

He had a hand tucked in the pocket of his khakis, a grin on his mouth that didn't quite fit with the lines of his face. "Have you all seen Serena this morning?"

The three of them exchanged glances. "She'll probably be here soon," Lita offered with a tilt of the head. "Sometimes she wakes up late."

"Yeah," his smile remained in its place, "I could figure that much when she showed up late a few times to first period chem." Mr. Devine patted Mina's shoulder as he stepped around her. "If you spot her, can you tell her I'm looking for her? I've just got a few minor things to discuss with her."

"Sure," Mina felt her eyebrows arch. "No problem."

He smiled down at them, feet gliding across the floor as he carried himself away, and as he made his way down the hallway, the three stared after him.

"Does anybody else find him a little strange?" Raye cocked her hips and cradled her books on the jutting curve.

"Strange?" Lita pursed her lips. "I don't know."

"Not strange, per say." Mina's lips tightened before they spread into a grin. "Different, I think."

* * *

He greeted her with a light kiss to the curve where her neck met shoulder, and as she hefted her bag onto the crook of her elbow, he orbited around to her front and caught her laughing mouth with his.

Around them, the parking lot hummed as students descended the stairs of buses and lingered between cars and rested against the street lamps that towered above them all.

Serena drew her head away, touched her fingertips to the skin just above the line of stitches on his brow. A bruise had formed overnight, and he flinched against the contact. "How does it feel?"

Darien's mouth crinkled into a pout as he considered the question. "Well," he draped an arm over her shoulders. "Right now, it feels like my eyeball was smashed in by a baseball bat. But other than that," he smiled down at her. "It feels fine."

She snorted as their feet padded across the dewy grass of the quad. She slipped her arm beneath the back of his blazer, thinking. "People are going to think we're really weird," she said finally, and the glance he sent her was amusement.

When he laughed, it was light, dazzled, and he pulled open the school entrance and watched her walk in. People pooled out around them, mindless and ignorant as they weaved into the crowd. "How do you figure?"

She puckered her lips. "I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"I don't mind being weird." Darien stopped with her at her locker. "What're you doing this weekend?"

She blinked up at him. "Well," she inhaled slowly and chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I have a job at the bakery. So I'll be there for Saturday." She paused, thought for a quick second. "Sunday, though, I'm free."

Darien hooked a thumb through his belt loop. "A job?" He rocked back onto his heels. "Why the heck would they hire you?"

She smacked him in the arm. "I'm going to be a fabulous waitress."

He laughed out loud, swooped down and kissed her until she started laughing with him.

"Miss. Tayse?"

She glanced down the hallway as Sister Laurel wove her way through a string of students. "Good morning, Sister," she stepped back from Darien and offered her a beaming smile. "What can I do for you?"

Sister Laurel, with her shoulders tightly squared and spine latched straight, fixed her habit as it slid carefully down one side of her head, revealing little tufts of gray hair. "These students." She ran a thin hand over her shoulder blade, removing invisible dust. "They have God awful manners." She blessed herself, kissed her fingertips and lifted them to the Lord. "Why Father Paul ever removed the proper etiquette course from our curriculum will forever keep me up at night."

Serena smirked and shot a glance back toward Darien.

"Mr. Shields, if you will excuse us." Sister Laurel stepped forward to tighten the tie around his neck. "But this is a conversation that I'm sure you can wait until lunch to hear."

He licked his lips and pulled awkwardly at his collar. "Of course, Sister."

"So long, then."

He touched Serena's elbow as he stepped around them.

"And keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Shields." Sister Laurel eyed him sharply as a deep red shaded his face. "This is an educational environment. Not some quixotic foreplay on free-for-all avenue."

Serena had to snap her jaw closed as Sister Laurel shooed him away and turned back to her. "There may be no etiquette course, but there is a health class. And I'm only going to suggest once that you pay attention." She turned on her heel and began walking in the opposite direction. Serena tripped over herself while trying to catch up.

"You should be a devout Catholic, Miss. Tayse. Abstinence and chastity pertain to that. He may be tall, dark, and handsome, but don't do anything you may regret."

"I wouldn't... I mean, I always told myself that I- well, we only started going out yesterday and I don't really think-"

"Preaching to the choir, now, aren't we, Miss. Tayse?" The sister led her back out into the quad and toward the Administration Building. "I have heard it all before, believe it or not. And as devout Catholics, we really do not believe in abortion either."

Serena struggled for something to say. "Sister, I don't really think-"

"This wasn't the reason I came to find you, of course. After all, Mr. Shields is a very nice gentleman. But as a representative of this school, I would like you to do something for me, as well as the rest of the staff."

She let Sister Laurel lead her into the building and back toward Father Paul's office. "Of course. You know I'd do anything for AHA."

"And we realize that. Which is why we think you can handle the subject of the matter." She let her hand rest on the doorknob. "We have a transfer student from the Sacred Savior Private School."

Serena let the name run through her mind. "I don't think I've ever heard of that school before."

"I don't think you have either, Miss. Tayse." Sister Laurel twisted the knob. "It's a school for the visually, vocally, and hearing impaired." And then she pushed open the door.

Three heads swung in their direction. Serena let a beaming smile take over her face. "Good morning, Father Paul," she stepped into the room and glanced over at the two sitting on the opposite side of his desk.

"Always wearing a smile," Father Paul ran an index finger and thumb over his mustache. "Serena, I would like you to meet Mrs. Mason, and her daughter Amy."

Mrs. Mason, dark eyes and hair to match, stood from her seat and extended a hand. "A pleasure."

Serena shook it. "We're glad you decided to send your daughter here. She won't find any better place."

Her white lab coat fell just below her knees and flapped a bit as she shuffled her feet. "So I've heard." She slid back down into her seat. "Father Paul, pardon me for my bluntness, but I've got a cardiothoracic surgery in the next hour and I've got to be prepped by half past nine."

Father Paul nodded. "Sacred Savior wasn't kidding when they said the Masons' were a couple of geniuses."

Serena moved to stand beside him, watched as Amy stared into her lap and kept her fingers tightly laced.

"Serena Tayse is an admirable student at our school. She is a part of our honor's list, and can maintain a very good work ethic. When she really tries to." He smiled up at her before looking back over to the girl across from him. "Amy, Serena is going to be your ambassador for the next few weeks. She'll catch you up to speed and help you around the campus so you can get the hang of things."

Amy finally glanced up, eyes clear blue liquid.

Mrs. Mason tapped the sharp point of her chin. "Serena, have you ever interacted socially with a mute person?"

"A mute..." she glanced over at Amy and watched as her cheeks tinged pink. "Oh. Right." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Honestly, I haven't. But my second cousin Theodore had a gimp hand."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Sister Laurel deflate against the wall with a silent sigh.

Mrs. Mason looked like she was struggling for a reply.

From the intercom, the bell chimed.

Father Paul clapped his hands together. "Saved by the bell, I'd say." He pushed up from his chair. "Mrs. Mason, I'll let you head off to the hospital with a promise that Amy is in good hands. Let's let them wander off the homeroom now." He looked over to Serena. "Just have Amy report back to my office at the end of the day."

"Sounds like a well enough plan." Mrs. Mason stood and bent over to kiss the crown of her daughter's head. "See you later, darling."

When Sister Laurel escorted her out of the office, Father Paul turned to Serena. "Introduce her to Mina and Lita. Raye, too, if you want, but don't introduce her in front of the class, alright? And maybe let her meet that new boyfriend of yours."

Serena felt herself bristle. "How the heck do you know about that?"

He laughed and clapped her shoulder. "I have eyes all over the place. And I heard it was quite the performance he put on last night at the game."

She pressed a hand over her eyes and hoped the sudden wave of embarrassment would pass. "And he doesn't get why I think people will think we're weird."

"Now," he clapped his hands together. "You both have a wonderful day."

* * *

"Give us a smile, babe," Jake plopped down on the grass beside Raye. "It'll last longer."

She didn't glance up from her notebook. "I'm busy."

"Doing what?" He leaned up against her shoulder and pressed his lips against her neck.

She flipped over to a clean page and continued writing. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing." Jake brushed away a few loose strands of hair from her cheek. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is absolutely peachy."

He puckered his lips and pulled away. "Is there something going on with your gymnastics team again? Because I'm almost certain those girls are just jealous of your uncanny ability to perform a fantastic floor routine and that you could quite possibly end up making it to the Olympics.

She snorted and capped her pen. "No, it's nothing with the team." She closed the notebook carefully. "It's just an ongoing list of things I'm going to do for the New Year."

"Raye, it's only October." Jake nudged the book out of her lap and replaced it with his head. "You've still got plenty of time to figure out all that junk."

She ran a hand through his hair. "No, I don't."

He laughed and shifted around a bit to find a comfortable position. "What, is it going to take three months to figure out whether you want to buy your underwear from Victoria's Secret or from Frederick's? Because honestly, I prefer you without."

"That's not it." She pushed him away so she could push herself up off the ground. "I turn eighteen in April. There are a few big competitions coming up and hopefully I'll be able to place to get the prizes."

He stared at her for a pulsing minute, sitting up on his elbows. "I don't think I get where you're going with this."

"I'm going to win those competitions, I'm going to find a job, I'm going to get a scholarship to my college of choice, and then when I turn eighteen," she stepped between his spread legs and ruffled his hair with her fingers, "I'm getting the hell away from my fucking father and his bitch of a fiancé."

Jake felt his eyebrows shoot toward his hairline. "What?"

Raye laughed sardonically beneath her breath, gripped the edge of her shirtsleeve and lifted it to reveal a handprint bruise, dark purple and rimmed red, wrapped around the skin of her bicep. Silence was his response.

"I'm getting the fuck away from him as fast as I can."

Jake stumbled in his pursuit to stand. "He did that to you?"

She smoothed the fabric back down and picked a piece of lint off the cotton. "Walked in the house last night after a very productive celebration at the bakery for tromping those idiot Galloway Prep kids. He and pretty little Melanie were busy getting it on across the kitchen counter."

Jake pursed his lips to stop himself from commenting.

"I told them to get a fucking hotel room so I didn't have to listen to his bitch squeal like a pig all night."

He watched their footsteps as they passed through a doorway and into the school building, thankful for their third period study hall and the teacher who could care less if they disappeared for the entire class. "And then..."

She lifted a shoulder and rolled her pen against her palm. "He walked over, and that vein in his neck was popping out like it does when he gets really angry. He looked me right in the eye, grabbed my arm and shook me around like I was a ragdoll, then he said I was just like my idiot mother, who apparently never knew when to keep her fucking _big mouth_ shut and was better off in the grave."

Jake came to a stop. "What?"

Raye threw her arms out and offered a sarcastic smile. "I'm getting the hell away from here as soon as I can."

"But..." Jake watched as she brushed past him and down the hallway. He had to jog to catch up. "Shouldn't you report it or something? I mean, that's got to be some form of abuse and-"

"Be quiet Jake. It's not that big a deal."

"It kind of is." He grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her to him. "I knew your father was an asshole, but don't you think this is a little much?"

"This wasn't the first time." He saw something pass through her eyes, so quick and so fleeting that he nearly missed it. "And it probably won't be the last. But until April, I'm just going to have to tough it out. Bruises and all."

He didn't let go, even when she tried to move away. "You can come live with me."

She closed her eyes as he moved her back against the lockers. "I'll be fine on my own." She lifted a hand, felt for his cheek, and when she found it, she brought her lips to his. "I promise."

And that was the end of it.

"So can you, like, do sign language and stuff?"

From where she walked carefully alongside Serena, Amy nodded meekly and Mina watched with blatant enthusiasm.

They turned a corner and began to ascend a crowded staircase.

"Okay, okay," Mina tapped her chin thoughtfully. "How do you say hi?"

Amy's lips tweaked, just a little, and she nimbly lifted a hand to her forehead and offered a salute.

Mina's eyes were bright. "That is so cool."

Serena laughed. "Amy, you've got lit now, right?"

She nodded.

"Okay. I'm going to leave you with Mina. If you need any help, just holler." She let the statement sink in. "Scratch that. If you need any help, run as fast as you can. Mina gets winded pretty easily."

"Hey!" Mina looped her arm through Amy's. "I resent that. I am in perfectly good shape. Unlike you." She poked her tongue out, a finale to the argument, and returned her attention to the girl beside her. "Now, there are a few things you should know about Mrs. Crawford..."

An arm wrapped around her neck and drew her backward. "Who's that girl you were with?"

Zane pressed his temple against hers and stared intently ahead, waiting in silence for a reply.

"That's Amy." Then, after glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she added, "She's a mute."

His bottom lip puckered out a bit. "Interesting," he said. "She has a swimmer's build."

"Zane," Serena warned. "I promised her mom I'd watch after her."

"Did I say anything wrong?" He released her and lifted an eyebrow. "After Marie or whoever she was decided to be diagnosed with 'I'm too lazy and I don't want to swim anymore', we're a swimmer short."

The late bell rang, and the few remaining stragglers bustled in opposite directions. "Don't bother her. She's already shy enough. The last thing she needs is to be traumatized by you."

Zane laughed outright. A teacher poked her head out of her classroom and glared at them. "You two hurry up to class. Now. Or I'll have to issue you a detention."

They both turned away as the door slammed shut, took the next flight of stairs two steps at a time. "She's not emotionally corrupt, Sere-bear."

"Because she hasn't been graced with your corrupting presence, Graham Cracker."

He pulled open the door to the chemistry lab as they came before it, and Zane let Serena enter with a readied excuse. "Sorry we're late, Mr. Devine."

He looked up at his desk, and a few disinterested heads lifted away from diligent work on the assignment.

"Do you have a pass?" He placed down his pen, rested his chin against the heel of his palm.

She fiddled with the edge of her skirt. "I don't . But Zane and I were helping the new student, Amy. She transferred, but I think she's taking physics, so I don't think you'll have her, but that's beside the point. Yeah, we were helping her find her way to lit class."

"Very well," he eyed them as they shuffled past. "The assignment is written on the board."

He waited until Serena was sitting, with her book flipped to page ninety-three and pencil poised against a clean sheet of loose leaf. "And Mrs. Tayse, I'd like to see you after class."

She glanced up. "What?"

He lifted an eyebrow and picked up his pen again. "After class. I'd like to have a talk with you."

She wasn't particularly bothered by the sudden exclamation, but it was the awkward silence that stuttered across the room that had her neck turning red.

But she nodded anyway, turned back to stare at the twenty questions she had to answer. Darien leaned in to nudge her with his shoulder.

She pursed her lips and carefully wrote her name out at the top of the paper.

Voices began to pick up again, one by one until a steady rhythm of talking enveloped the room. "So," Darien was already on the tenth question. "Have you talked to the guidance counselor about colleges yet?"

Serena snorted. "Yeah right. I can barely remember to do my western civilization homework every night. Do you honestly think I've thought about applications?"

He lifted a shoulder. "Just trying to start a conversation."

She smirked down at her textbook. "Then let's try to avoid the topic of schools."

"I've got a conversation starter," from the desk in the row before them, Adrianna twisted around. "Have you seen the newspapers?"

Darien blinked at her.

She snapped her gum. "The sports section, darling. We all know you live off that business crap or whatever." She reached for her folder and pulled out a sloppily trimmed article. "You two have obviously caught some attention."

Serena grabbed the clipping and squinted at the tiny text.

Darien leaned in to read over her shoulder. "Well, isn't that something."

Adrianna smirked and plucked the paper from Serena's grasp. "Yeah. Kind of puts a lot of pressure on the whole relationship thing, doesn't it?"

Serena picked up her pencil again. "It's not that big a deal."

"The caption of that lovely, romantic, kissy-face picture says that you two were destiny." Adrianna sighed, disheartened. "If you ask me, I think you pretty little loverbirds might be a tad bit star-crossed."

Serena stared at her, face pink.

"That's Shakespearean for your relationship is going flop like a fish out of water within the next week." Her smile was wicked. "So I'll hold onto this lovely death sentence for when the funeral comes around."

Serena licked her lips as Adrianna blew a spearmint bubble and twisted back around.

Darien scratched at the back of his neck, whispered from the corner of his mouth, "That was a little harsh."

"She probably just had lit last period," Serena chewed on the eraser of her pencil. "Romeo and Juliet is currently the only thing imprinted on her brain."

* * *

Mr. Devine paced in front of her, arms laced tightly behind his back as she sat silently in the desk before him. The rest of the class had long dispersed for lunch, but Serena sat in silence, continued to battle her growling stomach.

"I let it slide the first couple of times." He tapped his fingers carefully along the column of his arm. "The being late to class, the making excuses, the whole nine yards."

Serena furrowed her brow. "I was late, like, three times. And I never made any excuses."

"The first time," he stopped to perch himself on the corner of his desk, "you told me you got your braid stuck in you locker."

She shrugged.

"The second time, you said you dropped your books down the back staircase."

She lifted her finger to defend herself, but Mr. Devine sent her a withering glare, and that sent her recoiling. "The third time, you told me that there was a cockroach that cornered you in the bathroom and you couldn't figure out a way to get escape." He stopped, and silence filled the gap between them. "Need I continue?"

Serena scuffed her toe. "No."

"Good." He picked up a pencil and rolled it between his fingers. "I'm going to issue you three afterschool detentions. And, I'm making it mandatory for you to attend the science trip."

Serena stared at him. "Is that all?"

He seemed taken aback by her response. "Well, yeah."

"So," she glanced around the room, "can I go now?"

Mr. Devine retreated back to his desk and shuffled around some loose papers awkwardly. "I suppose. And bring me your permission slip tomorrow. The trip is next week."

Serena picked up her books and smiled at him. "You got it."

He waited until she had the door closed behind her, until the sound of her footsteps disappeared down a staircase, before he reached for his copy of the morning's newspaper.

He flipped to the sports section, glanced at a particular article, and sighed.

* * *

They didn't call her Captain Mina for nothing.

"No! No, no, no! Incorrect! Wrong!" She placed balled fists on her hips and tapped her foot. "Homecoming is at the end of next week, people. If you want to be in the routine, then you better start paying attention!" She knew Saturday morning practices weren't the best idea, but if they wanted to go to Nationals, they had to whip their scrawny butts into shape. "Now, watch and learn, ladies and gents. This is the last time there'll be a demonstration."

Beside her, Raye started the formation, "One!" Hands moved, hips dropped, muscles strained against sports bras and spankies. "Two!" Legs lifted, toes pointed. "Three!"

Mina broke off into a sprint, jumping into a handspring round off. "Four!" With Raye positioned behind her, she bent into a bridge, kicked her feet out from under herself and pulled herself into a handstand.

"That's enough," Raye pushed her over. "I think they get the point."

"Do you get the point?" Mina pushed her ponytail over her shoulder and addressed the group. "It really isn't that difficult at all." She stopped before them. "Learn it, breathe it, live it. Cheerleading should be your life, people."

The football team jogged past, and she glanced over her shoulder. Kennedy was at the front of the pack, didn't even spare her a glance. She frowned.

"Looking good, Mina!" One of them, though, offered an appreciative whistle, and she pulled the frown into a smile. Winked and blew a kiss over her shoulder, because Kennedy had shoved whoever had made the statement.

"See, ladies?" She primped her hair. "If you're good, you get to show off." She grabbed a freshman's shoulder as she made eyes at one of the players. "But until then," she bustled the group over toward their designated cheer area. "Practice."

Kennedy was pissed.

"What kind of shit was that?" He yanked off his helmet and threw it to the ground, wiping away the sweat that had beaded across his forehead. "Did you fucking see that?"

Nathan rubbed the back of his neck. "She's a babe, Kennedy. And her ass is tight in that uniform. Did you really expect her to turn into Holy Mother Virgin Mary after you two hooked up before she peaced out for Canada or wherever the hell she went?"

He swallowed a few mouthfuls of water. "Well why doesn't she just jump around naked, then, if she's going to flaunt herself in front of everyone?"

Nathan laughed. "Dude, you need to chill out. This whole bipolar thing you've got going on is getting a bit old. She's Mina. And let me tell you, if you thought she was going to tightrope walk on her tiptoes for you while you keep her out to dry, then you need a good kick in the balls."

"Screw you," Kennedy lifted an eyebrow. "What does she expect? So I saw her naked. That doesn't make us married."

"Honestly," Nathan clapped him on the shoulder, "she expects you. That's all." He bent over to pick up a football. "At least, that's what Lita's telling me."

He scowled, glanced over toward the cheer squad to watch as Mina jumped onto Raye's back, yelling like a kid on a playground.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Nathan tossed Kennedy the football. "Ask her to homecoming. She'll be on your dick faster than she can do a backhand spring."

Kennedy gripped the football, pretended to throw it. Didn't respond.

* * *

Serena could not believe she was up at such an ungodly hour. And dressed in such an ungodly outfit. And actually smiling.

They had stationed her just outside the shop, dressed her in a little white apron and placed a tray in her hand.

"Hi, welcome to the Kane Bakery! Try a sample piece of our new fudge?" The suited man waved her away and motioned to the phone pressed against his ear before slipping inside the bakery. She didn't let her smile falter and turned to face the street.

Kane Bakery was located on a busy street corner, in a quaint town square about five minutes outside the Academy campus. Students came after school, ordered a hamburger- because the Bakery didn't only sell doughnuts, but also had a menu with lunch and dinner items- and just typically goofed off and bothered the high school waitresses.

"Hi, welcome to the Kane Bakery. Would you like to sample a piece of our new fudge?" Serena blinked and watched as the two little girls reached for one of the toothpicks.

"Thank you very much," the mother ushered them inside.

Serena smiled after them and nodded to herself. She could be sleeping right now.

She dropped her free hand to her side, sighed, and lifted the tray to a better angle. "Hi! Welcome to the Kane Bakery!"

Zane poked his head around the corner, careful not to make too much movement. "Oh my God."

Darien looked around Zane. Choked on his own laughter. "Does she know a part of her apron is stuck in her jeans?"

They leaned a little closer, struggling with their laughter.

"Honestly, ma'am, you'll have to check with the owners." Serena smiled at the woman standing before her. "I don't if they take requests for fudge. I was just told to hand out the sample."

"Uhm, excuse me? Waitress?"

Serena turned, a readied smile on her face. "Would you like a-" Her lips dropped into a frown. "What are you doing here?"

Adrianna feigned hurt and pulled her sunglasses of her face. "I just stopped by to get muffin, that's all." She looked around, clucked her tongue. "So I'll take a blueberry muffin and a nonfat mocha latte with one percent milk to go."

Serena rolled her eyes. "Are you serious?"

She snapped her fingers. "Chop, chop. I don't have all day."

Serena bit back a retort, looked over her shoulder at Lita as she filled an insulated mug with coffee. "You have to go inside and tell one of the other waitresses."

Adrianna's smile withered a bit, barely at all, before it snapped back into place. "I know that." She brushed a piece of imaginary lint off her skirt. "You don't have to give me attitude. Don't know why anyone would hire you anyway. You're kind of a dunce."

Serena felt her eyebrows lift, felt her mouth open, response poised against her tongue. "Look, Adrianna, you-"

"Excuse me, miss?"

Serena exhaled loudly, repositioned her fudge tray. "Yes?"

Darien smiled and pulled at her apron. "I noticed you were giving away free samples. I think I'd like a piece." He bent forward, caught her mouth, kissed her until she almost lost her balance and dropped all the fudge.

When he finally withdrew, she wiped at her bottom lip, and Adrianna was pink in the face. "What are you doing here?"

"Zane was craving a doughnut." He hooked a finger through her apron and dragged her one step closer. "And a few of us are getting together later. I wanted to ask if you wanted to join." Caught her mouth again, slanting his lips over hers. Pulling away, taking her breath with him. "What do you say?"

Serena lifted an eyebrow at him then looked down at the tray, considered readjusting the cubes of fudge just to avoid his gaze. "Today's sample is triple chocolate swirl. You said you wanted a piece." Darien laughed, picked up one of the cubes, and popped it into his mouth.

Adrianna made a noise to display her blatant disgust and elbowed past the pair. "You two are repulsive."

Serena smiled, turned to Darien, let her smile widen. "I get off at eleven."

* * *

When Darien had invited her to hang out with the group, he didn't mention that the offer was heavily influenced by Zane's persuasion.

And by that, she meant perversions.

She peered over her cards at the rest of them, at Jake who had lost two socks, at Mina who deposited her headband and bent to the middle of the circle to deposit it, and then down at herself as she dropped in a sandal after forfeiting and calling a fold.

She grabbed up her cup and swallowed a mouthful. "Whose idea was it to play strip poker?"

"Is that even a question?" Raye glared at her. "Zane."

Zane folded too, grabbed the hem of his shirt and peeled it off. "It's fun. Used to do it every night at summer camp my sophomore year."

Lita's eyebrow went up. "Wasn't that an all boys summer camp?"

He lifted up his Jack Daniel's bottle. "Those were experimental times, my friends."

Mina's bark of laughter had the rest of them reeling.

"You little fudge bagger," Jake threw in a few chips and glanced around. "You batting for the same team, or-"

"I will confirm now," Zane cut him off and refilled Kennedy's glass as he drank some of it away. "I still prefer tits and twat. But you find yourself holed up in the middle of a forest with twenty other boys for three and a half months and tell me you wouldn't try to experience the joys of buttfucking."

Serena watched Nathan deal out cards again. "Zane. That is more than I would ever like to know about you."

He pretended to hump the air. "Want me to tell you about the time I walked in on the camp counselor jerking off?"

* * *

"Hi, Mom?" Serena licked her lips and bent her head into the phone. "A bunch of us are sleeping over at Mina's place tonight. And can you call Aunt Teresa and tell her Kennedy is going to be with-" she burped. "Oh, sorry. But yeah, he's going to be with Jake.

"Yo, papi chulo," Zane had found his way into the kitchen and was digging around in the refrigerator. "Jake is letting me crash at his place tonight. You down with that?"

"Aren't you going to call up your dad, Raye?" Jake bit her neck and slid a hand down the curve of her back.

"Hell no." She turned and kissed him on the mouth.

Darien sighed into the receiver. "Nana, don't worry. I'm fine." He sighed again and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "His parents are at a fundraiser. Yeah, sure, they'll be back. Tell Pop-pop I say hi."

"Mom, no really, I'm serious," Lita sat cross-legged on the floor. "I'm not lying! Mina is seriously right here if you want to ask her!"

"Just do me a favor." Nathan was speaking slowly. "Go into their room. No. No, I don't care if they're sleeping. Just go into their room and tell them I'm over Jake's. Okay? Okay. No. No. Thank you. Jesus, do you have to make things so difficult?"

When phone calls had been accounted for and plans confirmed, Mina began rooting through a stack of DVDs. "Let's watch something cute."

Jake gagged. "Don't be such a freak, Mina," he bumped her out of the way with his hip. "Let's watch something gory."

"No thank you," Lita peered over them and tried to read some of the titles. "Something funny."

Serena collapsed between Nathan and Darien on the couch, flung her arms around their necks. "I'm not as drunk as I thought I was going to be."

Nathan laughed. "Let's keep it that way. The last time you were drunk, you caused utter chaos."

She pinched the back of his neck.

He shoved her away and watched as she tumbled onto Darien.

Kennedy sat on a stool at the kitchen counter, propped his chin against the heel of his palm and looked at Raye beside him. "Can I ask you something?"

Raye shrugged. "Something tells me you're going to say it even if I say no."

"You're right," Kennedy picked up a pear from the fruit bowl there, rolled it across his palm. "Are you going to homecoming?"

"You bet."

Kennedy watched her for a few silent minutes. There were stories about her. Well, actually, he preferred to call them rumors, because he was a good guy, and he didn't like to talk about people.

Raye was a tan-skinned, dark eyed Italian with a shady family life that she refused to talk about. He had heard rumors about her, about her father and his supposed organized crime extravaganzas and about her mother who had died when she was younger and the cause of death was mysteriously unknown.

"Did Jake ask you?" He pressed his thumb into one of the pear's bruises and watched juice bubble out as his nail pierced the skin.

Her eyebrows arched. "We came to a mutual decision, since, you know, we're dating." She tapped her pinkie against her lip. "So what did Mina say to get you all dark and broody this time?"

Sometimes, Kennedy thought he was a little too transparent. "She didn't say anything. And that's the thing. It's what she didn't say."

"And what she didn't say was that she wants you to ask her to homecoming and hopefully ask her out so she can officially tell the entire population of the world that you too are no longer the friends with benefits type, but rather officially in a sexual, girlfriend-boyfriend relationship."

Kennedy let the statement sink in. "We never had sex."

"Oh please." Raye took the fruit from his hand and sank her teeth into it. "Do you think I'm an idiot? You two have had sex."

He looked over towards Mina, watched as she fought with Jake over one of the DVDs. "How do you know?"

"Well, she's been wearing her pushup bra a lot more recently. So either you guys have had sex once and stuck with just shoving your tongues down each other's throats since then, or she's convinced her boob size dropped down to an a-cup."

He frowned.

"Do you not want to be in a relationship with her?"

Kennedy twiddled his thumbs, realized that he probably looked like an idiot doing it, so instead, he dropped his hands to the counter. He could not come up with a reasonable reply.

"Let me tell you," Raye patted his shoulder, "she's not going to wait forever."

"Guys!" Zane hung himself over the back of the couch and tried to throw a pillow in their general direction. "We're watching Scream. So get your asses over here!"

Serena drew her knees up to her chest. "I don't like scary movies."

"Don't be such a chicken shit, Serena." Raye patted Kennedy's back as she passed. He got up with her. "Hey Mina, pop us some popcorn."

Mina nodded and threw the DVD to Jake. She bumped into Kennedy's shoulder when he passed by, turned a little and smiled over her shoulder when he glanced back.

"Help me with the popcorn?"

He shrugged, walked back toward the kitchen.

"The bags are on the bottom self in the pantry." She went to the fridge and pulled out a few cans of soda. "You know," she spoke softly, and after Jake switched off the lights in the other room, her face pooled itself in a golden halo that came from above them, "someone asked me to homecoming after practice."

Kennedy felt his shoulders tighten as he handed her a packet. Didn't say anything.

She put the packet into the microwave, waited until the first kernel popped until she spoke again. "I told him I'd get back to him."

Kennedy picked up the sodas and held onto them with tight fingers. "Mina-"

She reached into another cabinet to get a bowl. "He was a junior, but, you know, I'd rather go to homecoming with a junior than with no one at all."

His mind was buzzing, from thinking too much and drinking too much, and now he realized just how dangerous the combination was, because his heart was racing too quick and his tongue felt like a brick between his teeth. "I'll bring these to the others," he forced out, and Mina's eyes dropped, face fell.

The microwave was buzzing, and he left her standing there, bumping into the counter as he went. It sent a sharp pain through his hip, but it dulled in comparison to the mad beating right against his ribcage.

* * *

"So," Mr. Devine leaned back in his chair, smiled at her from across the table. He had taken her to a quaint little restaurant just outside the city, and the science convention had been a snore, but he was paying for lunch and she didn't have to wear her uniform, so she wasn't about to start complaining. "What did you think?"

Serena finished smearing butter onto a roll before looking up at him. "It was interesting."

He made a little noise in the back of his throat, some non-committal, disinterested grunt, and picked up his glass of soda. "Let's not talk about this. It's dreary."

She felt her eyebrows crinkle together. "Okay." The waitress waltzed up to their table and deposited their plates before them. "What do you want to talk about?"

He unfolded his napkin across his lap. "Oh, I don't know." Picked up his knife and fork to cut into his sandwich. "Have any plans for homecoming?"

She shifted a little bit in her chair and watched as he bought a half of the sandwich to his mouth. "Well, Darien's taking me. We got a group of friends to go with and he's renting a limo."

Mr. Devine nodded, chewing the sandwich like it had turned a bit sour. "Buy a dress yet?"

Serena picked up a fry, twirled it between her fingers. "I got it last weekend. It's pink."

"Sounds pretty." He dabbed at his chin with his napkin even though there was nothing there.

She smiled at him before turning to her hamburger. They settled into silence, both chewing slowly and looking everywhere but at each other. Serena tapped her foot, bit into another fry, but then her phone was vibrating in her pocket, and she was fumbling for it, thankful for the distraction.

It was Mina, which was odd, considering it was the middle of the school day and she should probably be suffering in Spanish. But she looked across the table to Mr. Devine and mouthed a sorry before standing up and walking away.

When she thought she was out of earshot, she picked up the call. "What the heck are you doing calling me in the middle of school, idiot?" But Mina didn't laugh. Didn't make a sharp retort or sigh into the receiver. Serena's stomach dropped. "What's the matter, Mina?"

A long pause, a quivering breath. "It's Lita."

* * *

"Do you want me to come with you?" Mr. Devine had pulled the car around to the front of the school; students were still in class, minding their business, and Serena was struggling to get a hold on the door handle.

"No, no. Just, fuck. Get this god damn fucking thing _open_-"

Mr. Devine reached across her body, arm brushing hers, to pull the lever. His eyebrows were up, lips drawn into a thin frown.

She didn't even say goodbye as she stumbled onto the pavement, sprinting toward the doors. The main office receptionist let her in before she could buzz the bell, and Serena was down the hallway, breath hitching painfully in her chest as her shoes slapped against the linoleum.

* * *

Father Paul was standing outside the girls' bathroom, fingers clasped tightly around his belly, and Sister Laurel was pacing back and forth.

"She's in there?" Serena didn't bother waiting for a reply as she slowed to a stop, struggling to catch her breath, pressing open the door with a sweaty, trembling palm.

Mina was the first to catch her eye, then Raye, both standing right beyond the doorway, but Serena ignored them. Slipped past them to get deeper into the bathroom.

Her eyes welled when she finally found Lita.

"Leets," Serena's voice broke into a whisper as she dropped to her knees. Lita stared straight ahead, legs sprawled across the floor and back slumped against the wall. Cheeks and lips colorless, eyes red and puffy, face streaked with still-flowing tears. "Babe..."

Lita's breath was hot when she exhaled, shaky and torn. "I don't know how it happened." Serena crawled the rest of the way to her, curled herself against her side, and let Lita slid down the wall until her head was in her lap.

Her chin quivered, eyes overflowing again, nose running and tears falling and fingers twisting into a fist in Serena's shirt. "I told them I loved them. I kissed them before I left for school." Her eyebrows drew together, face scrunched up, and her chest shook with a powerful sob that didn't stop. "I can't breathe. I can't." Her breath was coming out in short, frantic gasps. "My mom said she'd see me later. Dad was taking her to the salon because he wanted to treat her to something special."

It took Serena a moment to figure out what she was saying, because her body was shaking uncontrollably and her words were laced with uncontrolled hysterics and were spoken around a thick tongue, and Serena found her own fingers curling into Lita's shirt.

"It was a car accident." She forced out, because her teeth were clattering together and her mouth was wet with too much saliva. "Father Paul called me to his office. And... I just..." Her voice broke. "I want to see my mom."

Serena was crying now, heart tightening painfully in her chest. "Leets..." And she bent over, buried her face into Lita's back because she would give anything to absorb the pain that had Lita so tattered and torn. "It's going to be okay."

But Lita only cried harder.

* * *

_Thank you to everyone who expressed their concern for my sudden absence. School was kicking my butt, but now it's summertime, so hopefully I'll be able to commit to Freefalling, as well as some other story projects, more enthusiastically. Please don't be afraid to drop a review; they are honestly the highlight of my day! Also, ignore all mistakes; I edited this at three in the morning and I'm not too keen on rereading it again. Just let me know if you see any glaring mistakes, and I'll fix it as soon as possible!_

**-Chapter Five-  
_Preview_**

The funeral was held a week after the accident, on a windy, bright Monday morning. Lita stood numbly on the other side of the chapel doors, face downcast and breathing coming out in quick, stricken gasps.

Nathan was beside her, one palm stretched lightly along the dip of her back, the other curled into a fist and tucked deep into his pant pocket.

"Are you ready?"

He was referring to the funeral, to the people waiting on the other side of the doors, waiting for her to enter. He watched as she fiddled with the folded piece of paper in her hands, and the creases seemed worn, like she had spent time folding it over and over, maybe even sliding the tip of her nail along the edge in a desperate attempt to make it smooth.

"The truth?" She looked up at him through clear, green eyes, and his heart swelled up into the base of his throat.

"Yeah, the truth."

She exhaled shakily, lips moist and pale, then glanced down to watch her hands as she unfolded the paper again. "The truth is, I'll never be ready for this."

Her eyes closed slowly, she inhaled deeply, and he pressed his fingertips against her back, hoped that she knew he was there for her. That he would always be there for her.

She pressed her lips together and strode for the chapel doors.


End file.
